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A lot of people have this misconception that there is not much career scope for chemical engineers. But it is far from being true. The Indian research market is evolving and there is a lot of demand off-late for research interns in different areas including chemistry.
Of course, there won’t be too many ‘corporate internships’ for chemical engineering students. But then chemistry is a research area and it makes sense for chemical engineers to work in a research internship or industrial training. Let us have a look at some of the top companies where chemical engineers can work as an intern.
Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL)
Headquartered in Delhi, BPCL is a government of India controlled oil and gas company. It is the 2nd largest downstream oil company with the coveted Maharatna status. BPCL operates two large refineries located in Kochi and Mumbai along with small refineries at Bina and Numaligarh. BPCL also has various offices in different across India. You can apply for an internship at BPCL through your college Training and Placement Cell
Intern Insight: The work culture and environment at BPCL is-positive, competitive and promotes learning. It is more like an industrial training where you will learn to bridge the gap between theoretical and practical knowledge. The most important thing you will learn here is regarding the rules and safety precautions of the chemical industry. The industrial training at BPCL is surely a very beneficial experience that will help you in the future. And yes, the canteen at BPCL serves some delicious food.
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL)
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) is the largest private sector oil and gas company in India. With unprecedented growth of nearly 1000% over the past decade, RIL has spread its services from oil and gas to refining and marketing, to petrochemicals and retail and special economic zones. An internship with RIL is like being a part of RIL’s vision of ambition and growth and of course the brand of Reliance.
Intern Insight: Reliance Industries Limited provides a wonderful platform to gain knowledge regarding such a large industry. The mentors at RIL are very motivating and give you the freedom to explore and do anything. RIL provides you with good quality accommodation in the township. The township comes with some amazing amenities including swimming pool, gym, football, and cricket field. The working hours are fixed and there is hardly any work pressure. The interns also get free transportation to and fro from the site. What else can an intern as for?
Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL)
India has a total of 20 oil refineries, of which Indian Oil owns 10. It shows the size and the hold IOCL has on the Indian market. The company has 71% of India's downstream pipeline throughput capacity and refines 67.7 million metric tons of oil per year which is 34% of India’s total refining capacity. Getting an internship at such a brand can be the dream come true for any chemical engineer.
Intern Insight: Most interns working here are through referrals. However, IOCL goes for campus placement in some top companies too. The best thing about interning at IOCL is that working hours are fixed. Your evenings are free and you can do whatever you want. The perks are good and a lot of interns are offered pre-placement offer which motivates you to do better. The only drawback is that most of the refineries are located in the outskirts and away from downtown.
Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC)
ONGC is the largest Energy and Power company in India with manpower of over 33500 people across India. The company is dedicated to the common cause of Energy Security of India and is home to some of the brightest minds in the country. An internship here can just be the turning point of career for anyone.
Intern Insight: Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) has been certified by the Great Place to Work, for its ‘high-trust, high-performance culture’. You can apply through your college Training and Placement cell and if lucky you will be called for interview. Here, you will get to work with some great researchers and chemical engineers. ONGC promotes a close working relationship with peers & seniors, a collaborative & supportive working ecosystem and an informal work culture. The infrastructure and amenities at ONGC will leave you awestruck. An overview of the company will be given on the first day which also gives you an insight into what to expect and of course some amazing pay and perks too!
Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL)
Headquartered in Delhi, GAIL is the largest state-owned natural gas processing and distribution company in the country. GAIL has multiple business segments including LPG transmission, natural gas, liquid hydrocarbon, city gas distribution, exploration and production, petrochemical and energy generation. The company has played a key role as a gas market developer in India transmissing more than 160 mms of gas through its dedicated pipelines
Intern Insight: GAIL has the coveted Maharatna status and have an amazing discipline and work culture. The management is good and all the employees here are hard-working. A lot of emphasis is given to punctuality. As an intern, you will work with some very talented people and will learn a lot. Their canteen have some best vegetarian options and you will fall in love with the typical cool work environment of the PSU
Indian Farmers Fertilizers Cooperative Limited (IFFCO)
With its headquarters in Delhi, IFFCO is a multi-state cooperative society that manufactures and markets fertilizer. It is the largest fertilizer manufacturer of the country with around 19% and 29% market share in Urea and complex fertilizers respectively. IFFCO is a household name in rural India with the fertilizers from IFFCO being used by more than 50 million farmers across the country.
Intern Insight: IFFCO offers a very flexible environment to the interns helping them make a smooth transition from college to corporate. The management at IFFCO is very helpful and resources are available at hand. A lot of work in IFFCO is related to chemicals and you can find chemical engineers working at every branch. Apart from a high scope of learning at IFFCO, chemical engineers have a high chance of getting a pre-placement offer
Procter and Gamble (P&G)
Procter and Gamble is one of the largest consumer goods companies in India serving more than 640 million consumers across India. From beauty and grooming segment to toiletries, health and well-being segment, P&G products have achieved market leadership in a majority of categories. Currently, P&G has five plants and over nine contract manufacturing sites in different parts of the country. Also, there are many branch offices in different states. If you are looking to make a career in the consumer industry, P&G is the place to intern in.
Intern Insight: As an intern here, you will get to apply the principles of chemistry, and mathematics to run experiments and tests to help in the development of improved manufacturing processes. You will conduct chemical analysis and prepare reports. The projects assigned are generally informative and provide a good learning experience. The best part about interning in P&G is that the hires are not restricted to Indian offices. If lucky, you will get a chance to travel abroad to work in an overseas office of the company.
Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL)
HPCL is an Indian oil and natural gas company. It is one of the 9 companies with Maharatna status is ranked among the Fortune Global 500. It has about 25% market share in India PSUs. HPCL operates two refineries, one in Mumbai and another in Vishakhapatnam. The company is also the owner of the largest lubricant refinery in India producing lube base oils of the capacity of 335 TMT which is nearly 40% of India's total lube base oil production. HPCL is clearly the dream company to work in for any chemical engineers.
Intern Insight: At HPCL you get to work with people with different skills, ideas and experience levels. You will get to learn a lot of new things and the opportunity to work in various areas of interest. You will be deployed in a live project and can have a good hands-on experience. The work structure at HPCL is well-organized with flexible working hours. The stipend here is amazing with lucrative perks like free food and free transportation.
Conclusion
These are just some of the top companies offering internship in the field of chemical engineering. Apart from these, there are many private sector companies too hiring chemical engineers. Start exploring Switchidea to find the best places to look for all current openings in the field. To increase your chances of getting the best internship, apply to as many companies as you can.