Canada’s Best Jobs: Petroleum & Chemical Process Engineer

Median Salary:	$104,000
Salary Growth (2010–2016):	+14%
Total Employees:	11,000
Change in Employees (2010–2016):	-9%

Job Description:

Petroleum engineers conduct studies for new oil and gas fields, oversee drilling operations, and sometimes develop production equipment. They’ll see employment by not just energy companies, but also research institutes and the government. Chemical engineers are included in this category, and develop processes that turns raw material into product. They may work in energy, the food industry and more.

Job Qualifications:

You’ll need at least a bachelor’s degree in petroleum or chemical engineering, but some jobs may want even a master’s degree or PhD.

Salary:

The median salary for an engineer is slightly higher than for other engineers, at $104,000, growing 14% over the past five years.

Career Opportunity:

Between the oil crash of 2013, and increased competition from the fracking industry in the United States, the petroleum industry industry in Canada isn’t the safe haven it used to be. But the Alberta government predicts a return to growth in 2017; if that happens, expect jobs to follow.