What is the process of becoming a genetic engineer?

Have the chemistry degree, would like to become/practice as a chemical engineer? any advice?

• So I have a B.Sc. in Chemistry and would like to practice as a chemical engineer. My understanding of the process of becoming an engineer of any discipline is that you graduate, get work experience for four years, and then you can write your examinations to obtain your P.Eng. designation. So what would be the shortest route for me? First of all I need to be eligible to write the FE exam to become an EIT and to get a job working in the engineering industry, therefore whatever I do, I have to be eligible. The way I see this working is, either (a) I go back to school for maybe 3 years and get my undergraduate degree in Chem. Eng. and then I will be just as qualified (or more with my chemistry degree) than other Chem. Eng.'s out there, or (b) I take a masters of science in Chemical Engineering (not masters of Eng. in Chemical Eng. as this is only open to Chem. Eng. undergrads) then get into the field - the problem with this one is that I would lack the fundamental courses that employers would see as beneficial and therefore it would probably not be advantageous to hire me say over Joe Blow with an undergrad. The other route of course is writing my exams (if I am eligible with my Chemistry degree) and take no formal training in Chemical Engineering at the university level but this I see as problematic for the reasons of why would an employer hire me to work as a chem. eng. when he can hire another guy/girl with a chem. eng. degree. Any advice here is definitely appreciated, I just started on here the other day and i really appreciate everyones input on this. Thanks again

• Answer:

  Shortest route is the one that is filled with luck and serendipity. You have listed your options, more or less. If you spend the 3 years to get the engineering courses you missed, you will NOT be more qualified than a typical BS ChE - I, for instance, have worked as a chemist (analytical, process, and inorganic) without a BS Chem degree; I graduated just 2 courses shy of the BS Chem (quant and qual labs), which is typical of a BS ChE. Many schools will require that you take many of the undergrad courses you missed in order to get your MS ChE, but employers will often recognize the lack of all the fundamentals. The best bet (but not without risks and taking a fair amount of time - maybe 10+ years), is to get hired by a major manufacturer or R&D firm, work your way into process chemistry or similar positions, learn the engineering by taking courses and the hard way (lots of independent study), and many companies will have a career path that is intended for engineers only, but if you can get in, then you are in. On the way in, you can do the FE/EIT thing, but that might not be required. A PE will also get you into the engineering jobs, but with a chem degree, you still have to work for several years as an engineer (and be vouched for by other PEs) to even take the PE exam, so that doesn't even get you there. BTW, very few ChEs become PEs, since there is almost no requirement for a PE for ChEs (in know of exactly one).