Chemical engineering exam to assess must-have skills for chemical engineers

Chemical engineering roles across industries require a candidate to work on the design, development, construction, and operation of industrial processes to produce a diverse range of products and chemicals. Such a role requires a candidate to have a strong conceptual background and expertise to effectively apply learnings in real-time work scenarios and novel situations. A potential hire is expected to understand the intricacies of the chemical engineering domain and should possess crucial technical skills needed for the job. Similarly, knowing how to recruit the most competent professionals is vital to organizational success. That is why, organizations looking for skilled chemical engineers need scientifically–validated pre-hire assessments that differentiate good candidates from average applicants. 

That is where Mercer|Mettl’s chemical engineering test comes in handy. It is a comprehensive domain-specific test designed to assess a candidate's skills as per industry standards.  It measures technical knowledge (basic concepts in chemical engineering) an engineer would be expected to possess such as metallurgy, engineering designs, chemical reactions, etc.

Designed by subject matter experts, Mercer| Mettl's chemical engineering test contains 30 questions to be completed in 30 minutes. The skills of the candidate are evaluated on three levels - easy, medium and difficult. This chemical engineering exam gauges the depth and breadth of candidates' knowledge through a set of specific role-based application questions on the following aspects: 

Chemical Technology:

• Understanding of the processes involved in the manufacturing of various inorganic and organic chemicals
• Understanding and preparing the process flow diagrams
• Analyzing essential process parameters and engineering problems during production 
• Understanding the individual components required for the process flow diagram 
• Chemical Reaction Engineering:
• Developing rate equation laws for homogeneous/homogeneous reactions 
• Designing ideal and nonideal reactors for homogeneous and heterogeneous single and multiple reactions
• Selecting the appropriate type reactor/scheme based on the requirement

Heat Transfer:

• Solving conduction, convection, and radiation problems
• Estimating energy requirements and carrying out related calculations
• Designing and analyzing the performance of heat exchangers, including evaporators and condensers

Mass Transfer:

• Understanding the fundamentals of mass transfer, diffusion and mass transfer coefficient
• Expertise in Mass transfer operations: diffusion, distillation, absorption, humidification, etc.
• Performing equipment design calculations related to distillation, absorption and humidification, drying, and crystallization

Fluid Mechanics and Mechanical Operation:

• Analyzing and solving problems of fluid-based engineering systems
• Understanding and analyzing fluid machinery such as pumps and turbines
• Estimating pressure drop, energy and power losses, and fluid power requirement for different processes
• Understanding the mechanical operations, fundamental laws and equipment

Process Dynamics and Control:

• Constructing a model of the chemical processes, computing the response of the developed transfer function, and evaluating the stability of the control system
• Selecting an appropriate controller as per system requirements
• Understanding the P, PI, and PID controller response and interpretation

Key profiles the test is useful for:

• Graduates/Undergraduate Chemical Engineering trainees
• Junior Chemical Engineers
• Chemical Engineers

Mercer| Mettl’s chemical engineering exam is used for hiring candidates having 0-1 year of work experience across industries associated with chemicals, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics etc. Moreover, hiring managers can use this test to screen candidates from tier II and tier III engineering colleges also during campus hiring.