Production and process engineers advise on and direct technical aspects of production programmes to ensure cost-effectiveness and efficiency. This unit group incorporates: planning and quality control engineers who plan production schedules, work sequences, and manufacturing and processing procedures to ensure accuracy, quality and reliability; and chemical engineers who undertake research on commercial scale chemical processes and processed products, design and provide specifications and direct the construction, operation, maintenance and repair of chemical plants and control systems.
Also calledChemical engineerManufacturing systems engineerProduction engineerEngineerInstrument engineerInstrumentation engineerand 30 more titles
Recruitment from abroad. 350 sponsored work visas were granted for this job from July 2025 to June 2026, most to people from India, France, China, ranking it 48th of 313. Home Office
Who does it
ONS · Annual Population Survey · April 2025 to March 2026
60%hold a degree
WomenToo few in the survey to give a reliable figure
Age of production and process engineers
Age profile of production and process engineers
n/p
34%!
22%!
23%!
12%!
n/p
16–2425–3435–4445–5455–6465+
!Small sample: treat with cautionn/p: too few in the survey to publishShow as table
16–24
Not published
25–34
34% (small sample)
35–44
22% (small sample)
45–54
23% (small sample)
55–64
12% (small sample)
65+
Not published
Highest qualification
Highest qualification held by production and process engineers
Degree or equivalent60%
Higher education below degree!12%
A levels or equivalent!18%
GCSEs or equivalent!8.1%
Other qualifications!3.8%
!Small sample: treat with cautionShow as table
Degree or equivalent
60%
Higher education below degree
12% (small sample)
A levels or equivalent
18% (small sample)
GCSEs or equivalent
8.1% (small sample)
Other qualifications
3.8% (small sample)
Main employers: engineering activities and related technical consultancy (17%), manufacture of refined petroleum products (4.8%), machining (3.7%), manufacture of other fabricated metal products nec (3.3%).
How to get in
Hold a degree
60%
as their highest qualification
Apprenticeships
9
from level 3, including degree apprenticeships
Apprenticeships take
2 to 5 years
typically
T Levels
1
college courses for 16 to 19 year olds
Routes in
Chemical engineer
You can get into this job through:
University
You can do a degree or postgraduate qualification accredited by the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE).
Subjects include:
chemical engineering
process engineering
biochemical engineering
You may be able to do a postgraduate conversion course if you have a degree in a related area like engineering, chemistry or polymer science.
Many courses include work placements which can give you valuable experience of working in the industry.
Some universities offer a foundation year for people without qualifications in maths and science, which allows them to move onto the degree course afterwards.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English, maths and science
2 or 3 A levels, or equivalent, including chemistry
a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study
Apprenticeship
You could apply to do a Science Industry Process Engineer Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship.
This takes around 5 years to complete and combines learning on the job and time spent with a training provider.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a degree apprenticeship
Work your way up
You could join a company as a chemical engineering technician and do training on the job to qualify as an engineer.
Registration and professional bodies
Professional and industry bodies
You can join IChemE for professional development opportunities.
Further information
You can find more details about how to become a chemical engineer from IChemE.
Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for chemical engineer. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Manufacturing systems engineer
You can get into this job through:
University
You could do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in a subject like:
manufacturing systems engineering
electrical or electronic engineering
mechanical engineering
production or manufacturing engineering
If you've got another engineering qualification, you could take a postgraduate master's course in manufacturing systems engineering.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study
College
You could start by completing a college course before going on to do a higher level engineering qualification or an apprenticeship.
Courses include:
mechanical engineering
electrical and electronic engineering
automation and control engineering
T Level in Design and Development for Engineering and Manufacturing
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for these courses vary.
4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level
Apprenticeship
There are a lot of engineering apprenticeships available and the one you take will depend on your area of interest, for instance Food and Drink Engineer Level 5 Higher Apprenticeship.
There are also Level 6 Degree Apprenticeships to train as a:
Manufacturing Engineer
Robotics Engineer
Space Systems Engineer
Science Industry Process and Plant Engineer
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
Registration and professional bodies
Further information
You can find more advice about careers in manufacturing systems engineering from:
the Institution of Mechanical Engineers
Tomorrow's Engineers
The Institution of Engineering and Technology
Neon
Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for manufacturing systems engineer. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Typically a Degree in a science, engineering, business or management discipline (2:1 or higher), or a minimum of two years relevant practical experience in a…
Maintenance, installation and repair for engineering and manufacturing
T Level
3
The work
ONS · ESCO · O*NET
Typical tasks
studies existing and alternative production methods, regarding work flow, plant layout, types of machinery and cost
recommends optimum equipment and layout and prepares drawings and specifications
devises and implements production control methods to monitor operational efficiency
investigates and eliminates potential hazards and bottlenecks in production
advises management on and ensures effective implementation of new production methods, techniques and equipment
liaises with materials buying, storing and controlling departments to ensure a steady flow of supplies
undertakes research and develops processes to achieve physical and/or chemical change for oil, pharmaceutical, synthetic, plastic, food and other products
designs, controls and constructs process plants to manufacture products
Skills
create solutions to problems
manage budgets
manage staff
provide technical documentation
troubleshoot
record test data
use CAD software
adjust engineering designs
advise on efficiency improvements
analyse packaging requirements
analyse production processes for improvement
analyse supply chain strategies
apply advanced manufacturing
conduct quality control analysis
Knowledge
engineering principles
engineering processes
packaging engineering
types of packaging materials
manufacturing processes
mechanics
packaging functions
packaging processes
Suits people who like
Organising and following procedures
Practical, hands-on work
Outlook
DfE · Skills Imperative 2035
Broader groupThese projections are for science, research, engineering and technology professionals, a group of 28 jobs that includes production and process engineers.
Change in jobs, 2020 to 2035↑ 18%about 394,000 more jobs
Workers needed by 20351.3 millionincluding people replacing those who retire or leave
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey: Department for Education and Skills England. Immigration system statistics: Home Office. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission.
This service includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This service has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 licence.
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