Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM)
Process Engineer
Industrial production optimisation
What this life looks like
You optimize industrial production. Process Engineers design, operate, and improve the systems that transform raw materials into products — in food factories, chemical plants, pharmaceutical facilities, and mineral processing operations. Efficiency, quality, and safety are your core responsibilities.
What she actually does
You design process flow diagrams and plant layouts, specify equipment for industrial processes, write operating procedures, monitor process performance and identify opportunities for improvement, troubleshoot production problems, ensure product quality meets specifications, implement safety and environmental controls, and scale up processes from pilot to full production.
Where you can work
| Sector | Places in Africa |
|---|---|
| Food & Beverage | Nestlé Nigeria, Tiger Brands (South Africa), East African Breweries, SPAR — food processing |
| Pharmaceutical | Aspen Pharmacare, Fidson Healthcare, May & Baker — drug manufacturing |
| Chemical & Cement | INDORAMA fertiliser (Nigeria), Lafarge Africa, Dangote Industries — chemical processing |
| Mining & Minerals | Gold Fields, Impala Platinum, Lonmin — mineral processing and beneficiation plants |
Why it matters in Africa
Africa's industrialisation ambitions — processing more agricultural produce, minerals, and petroleum locally rather than exporting raw materials — require process engineers to design and operate production facilities. Every food processing factory, cement plant, fertiliser facility, and pharmaceutical manufacturer needs process engineers.
Your pathway in
- Study Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics at school
- Study Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Food Engineering at university
- Complete industrial attachments at manufacturing facilities during your degree
- Learn process simulation software such as Aspen Plus or HYSYS
- Develop skills in Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma quality improvement methodologies
Skills you will need
- Process design and simulation
- Mass and energy balances
- Equipment selection and specification
- Quality management (GMP, ISO)
- Safety systems (HAZOP)
- Data analysis for process optimisation
A woman in this field
Prof. Christianah Ijagbemi
Nigeria
Prof. Ijagbemi's research at FUTA spans chemical and process engineering, with a specific focus on energy-efficient industrial processes. As the first female engineering professor in southwest Nigeria, she has demonstrated that women can lead at the frontier of process and chemical engineering research while also championing inclusion in engineering across the continent.
Take your first step
- Study Chemistry and Mathematics at school as your top priorities
- Research chemical engineering or food engineering degree programmes at universities in your country
- Visit a factory or production facility and observe how raw materials are transformed into finished products
- Learn what a process flow diagram is — it is the core document of any industrial process