Future jobs and skills.

Forecasting of the most important changes in the jobs and skills architecture of the global chemical industry.

Future job profiles

DEEP-DIVE ON 15 SELECTED JOB PROFILES.

The future job profiles reflect how specific job roles and skill profiles evolve in the short-, mid- and long-term future. This information serves as an essential element for business and HR leaders to develop and recruit the latest jobs and associated skills. On the employee side, it provides transparency and orientation to be better prepared for the future developments.

Legend

1 scope as jointly defined by BAVC, IG BCE and workshop participants | 2 only job postings from pharmaceutical & chemical industry in four focus regions (Germany, USA, China, EU) included.

Job profiles map.

15 Job profiles deep dive

Select a future job profile to learn more.

Process Engineer.

The Process Engineer provides functional and technical support on process control and automation to optimize process capability, efficiency, yield, and quality. He/she is responsible for process engineering input to ensure that plant safeguarding requirements are met. He/she is a specialist in process control, process optimization, or process engineering project. The Process Engineer supports the production department by conducting production trial runs and recommending improvements to procedures and work methods for production areas or processes.

Increasing trend

Increasing future importance of skill.

Increasing trend

Stable future importance of skill.

Proficiency level

Basic: Knowledge: basic or common familiarity, awareness, or understanding of the topic, technique or concept. Skill: Basic tasks or activities can be performed. Experience: No or very little practical experience. Intermediate: Knowledge: has familiarity, awareness, or understanding of the topic, able to explain it not in detail. Skill: able to successfully complete tasks as requested. Help from an expert may be required. Experience: Some practical experience on the topic, technique or concept. Advanced: Knowledge: good familiarity, awareness, or understanding of the topic, able to explain it to others in detail. Skill: able to successfully perform tasks associated with this skill without assistance. Help from an expert is only rarely required. Experience: Usually more than one year (depending on the skill of to many years) of practical experience on the topic. Expert: Knowledge: known as a subject expert in this area and can explain it to other on any dimension related to it. Skill: able to successfully perform tasks associated with this skill on a strategic level. Experience: Usually many years of practical experience on the topic, technique or concept.

Duties

Determine product specifications, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, to meet customers’ requirements and standards

Adopt scientific principles related to thermodynamics, flow assurance, heat transfer, etc.

Use and configure process simulation software to work out the best production methods

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Hard skills

Trend

Proficiency

Experience in the chemical/process engineering

Expert

Knowledge of pfd, p&id (Process Flow Diagram and Piping and instrumentation diagram)

Expert

Risk assessment knowledge (Hazop - Hazard and Operability Study)

Expert

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Soft skills

Trend

Proficiency

Analytical skills

Expert

Teamwork

Advanced

Communication skills

Advanced

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Data Scientist.

The Data Scientist plans and leads the development of new data analytic techniques, methodologies, and analytical solutions from design to implementation, prototyping, and testing. He/she applies statistical and machine learning methods to discover hidden patterns and information from data, which can be used in decision making. He/she manages and designs data-driven controlled experiments and models by collecting relevant data from various sources. He/she builds data manipulation and data processing tools, creates models and algorithms, proposes and adopts new technologies.

Increasing trend

Increasing future importance of skill.

Increasing trend

Stable future importance of skill.

Proficiency level

Duties

Partner with stakeholders to translate business problems into data science projects

Develop strategies to identify, acquire and use appropriate data sets to develop practical solutions and support decision making

Maintain advanced knowledge of trends affecting the industry

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Hard skills

Trend

Proficiency

University degree in Mathematics, Computer Science, Physics, Machine Learning or Statistics

Expert

Data strategy

Expert

Programming languages like Python, C++, R, or Scala

Expert

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Soft skills

Trend

Proficiency

Quick learner

Advanced

Problem-solving

Advanced

Creative thinking

Intermediate

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Big Data Analyst.

The Big Data Analyst is responsible for the design, implementation, and maintenance of large-scale distributed data flow channels and data processing systems that support the collection, storage, batch and real-time processing, and analysis of information in a scalable, repeatable and secure manner. He/she focuses on defining optimal solutions to data collection, processing, and warehousing. He/she designs, codes, and tests data systems and works on implementing those into the internal infrastructure.

Increasing trend

Increasing future importance of skill.

Increasing trend

Stable future importance of skill.

Proficiency level

Duties

Work with stakeholders to understand needs for data structure, availability, and accessibility

Support the translation of data needs into technical system requirements

Work on building the full stack of Data Analytics Platform, ranging from data ingestion to data analytics

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Hard skills

Trend

Proficiency

University degree in Computer Science, Information Technology or related field

Expert

Experience in data warehouse and relational database technologies, data architecture, and open-source platforms

Expert

Relational databases, SQL and PLSQL

Expert

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Soft skills

Trend

Proficiency

Problem-solving

Advanced

Teamwork

Advanced

Collaboration skills

Advanced

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Cybersecurity Specialist.

The Cybersecurity Specialist designs, develops, and implements secure system architectures. He/she embeds security principles into system architectures’ design to mitigate the risks posed by new technologies and business practices. He/she designs artefacts, spanning design, development and implementation, into enterprise systems that describe security principles and how they relate to the overall enterprise system architecture. He/she performs routine activities associated with the periodic review and audit activities of infrastructure security systems and maintains documentation of security standards and procedures.

Increasing trend

Increasing future importance of skill.

Increasing trend

Stable future importance of skill.

Proficiency level

Duties

Design security controls and systems in alignment with security guidelines and procedures

Support in the testing and evaluation of new security technologies and controls systems

Advise on security products, services, and procedures to enhance system architecture designs

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Hard skills

Trend

Proficiency

Cloud security expertise (against data breaches, hijacked accounts, malicious insiders)

Expert

IoT security expertise (against DDoS attacks)

Expert

Identity and access management in-depth knowledge

Advanced

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Soft skills

Trend

Proficiency

Attention to details

Advanced

Communication

Advanced

Teamwork

Advanced

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Sales Manager.

The Sales Manager drives sales business’s growth by enhancing customer experience and managing customer order fulfillment, technology, and infrastructural plans. He/she isresponsible for generating data-driven commercial insights and managing relationships with partners for the business. He/she works in a fast-paced and digitally-centric environment where he/she oversees the end-to-end commercialization and operationalization of the e-commerce business.

Increasing trend

Increasing future importance of skill.

Increasing trend

Stable future importance of skill.

Proficiency level

Duties

Develop the sales plan to achieve cascaded sales targets

Develop targeted market segments according to specific buyer profiles

Work closely with the data/analytics team to define customer segments to target with specific messages and to forecast the impact of your initiatives

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Hard skills

Trend

Proficiency

Knowledge of sales methodologies

Expert

Knowledge of the standard business practices related to sales operations and full life cycle of the sale processes

Expert

Ability to optimize sales processes through identifying root causes of inefficiency within the organization

Expert

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Soft skills

Trend

Proficiency

Communication skills

Expert

Business acumen

Expert

Negotiation skills

Expert

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Production Engineer.

The Production Engineer is responsible for guaranteeing the operational continuity of equipment, components, and systems. He/she supervises the operations and maintenance of equipment and systems. He/she manages any continuous improvement initiatives to identify and implement innovation within the organization. He/she follows corporate procedures and best practices, supervising compliance of work activities to regulatory and statutory policies, procedures, and regulations.

Increasing trend

Increasing future importance of skill.

Increasing trend

Stable future importance of skill.

Proficiency level

Duties

Liaise with other managers to formulate objectives and understand requirements

Estimate costs and prepare budgets

Organize workflow to meet specifications and deadlines

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Hard skills

Trend

Proficiency

Knowledge of production planning and management

Expert

Knowledge of operational maintenance metrics (Planned Maintenance Percentage (PPC), Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), Mean Time To Repair (MTTR), Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF))

Expert

Knowledge of performance evaluation and budgeting concepts

Advanced

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Soft skills

Trend

Proficiency

Leadership

Advanced

Organizational skills

Advanced

Decision-making

Advanced

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IT Specialist.

The IT Specialist is an experienced and 360 degrees technical professional responsible for the development, monitoring, and support/maintenance of IT systems, in particular in solving technical issues. The IT Specialist specializes in network analysis, system administration, security, and information assurance, IT audits, database administration, cloud platforms, and web administration. Many information technology specialists often work from the central office, or in some cases, these professionals work remotely.

Increasing trend

Increasing future importance of skill.

Increasing trend

Stable future importance of skill.

Proficiency level

Duties

Provide all the necessary assistance to the users round-the-clock (e.g., desktops, computer peripherals, such as printers, scanners, hard drives, monitors, etc., or software assistance concerning installation and updating of software)

Monitor and keep track of all the IT-related issues in the organization to identify patterns and prioritize interventions

Keep up-to-date with the latest technical components

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Hard skills

Trend

Proficiency

Knowledge of information technologies and systems

Expert

Datacenter facilities management

Expert

Cyber and data breach incident management

Advanced

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Soft skills

Trend

Proficiency

Coordination

Advanced

Customer Service

Advanced

Communication

Advanced

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IoT Architect.

The IoT Architect creates a process to build IoT solutions. He/she develops and standardizes the process for building IoT solutions and then guiding the evolution and improvement of that process that is a strategic key.

Increasing trend

Increasing future importance of skill.

Increasing trend

Stable future importance of skill.

Proficiency level

Duties

Spearhead development of the IoT vision and technical strategy

Document the business’s critical success factors and use the business value to drive engagement

Design an end-to-end IoT architecture

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Hard skills

Trend

Proficiency

Embedded software development for smart sensors and endpoint IoT devices (e.g. Java SE Embedded, Java ME Embedded)

Expert

Eperience with GPIO (General Purpose Input Output) and I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit)

Expert

Embedded software development for field gateways (edge computing) (e.g C, C++)

Expert

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Soft skills

Trend

Proficiency

Leadership

Expert

Coordination

Advanced

Presentation

Advanced

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Industrial Mechanic.

The Industrial Mechanic sets up and manages special purpose equipment to produce components and parts. In the production process, he/she is required to read and interpret sketches, drawings, manuals, and specifications to derive dimensions and tolerances of finished workpieces, sequences of operations, and set-up requirements. He/she observes the machines, detects malfunctions, and makes adjustments to ensure smooth operations.

Increasing trend

Increasing future importance of skill.

Increasing trend

Stable future importance of skill.

Proficiency level

Duties

Interpret technical drawings and blueprints

Perform dimensional and geometric measurements

Operate production equipment, tools, and machinery

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Hard skills

Trend

Proficiency

Additive manufacturing

Advanced

Surface preparation and protection

Advanced

Quality system management

Advanced

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Soft skills

Trend

Proficiency

Communication

Basic

Digital Literacy

Basic

Lifelong Learning

Basic

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Blockchain Architect.

The Blockchain Architect is the key person working with technology and R&D teams for designing and building solutions to leverage cross-asset concepts and frameworks, that suit the business need. He/she works on emerging technologies and creates performance metrics for measuring blockchain performance. He/she provides innovative solutions for building and supporting client systems and applications on distributed ledger platforms such as blockchain.

Increasing trend

Increasing future importance of skill.

Increasing trend

Stable future importance of skill.

Proficiency level

Duties

Abstract the complexity of a system into a manageable model that describes a system's essence by exposing important details and significant constraints

Responsible for gathering the client requirements, explaining foreseen technical solutions in the proposal, and estimated associated costs and planning

Keep updated on the latest blockchain technology developments and collaborate with the blockchain team to propose technical solutions to foster the blockchain ecosystem

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Hard skills

Trend

Proficiency

Programming languages, such as C++, Java, Python, Solidity

Advanced

Experience with cryptography

Advanced

Knowledge of specific blockchain protocols, such as Bitcoin and Ethereum and relative development frameworks (Hyperledger Fabric)

Advanced

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Soft skills

Trend

Proficiency

Leadership

Expert

Coordination

Expert

Presentation

Advanced

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Agile Manager.

The Agile Manager combines Lean and Agile approaches. On the one hand, Lean Manufacturing is focused on increasing efficiency by reducing waste and streamlining complexity . On the other hand, Agile Manufacturing aims to increase efficiency via flexible, parallel problem-solving. The Agile Manager takes ownership of the successful implementation and achievement of project/process goals by increasing process efficiency and reducing redundant activities. He/she defines resource allocations, manages status updates, and facilitates interaction and tasks of various parties to reduce the risk of overall failure. He/she develops and identifies advances/opportunities in project/process management to improve timely delivery and efficient use of resources.

Increasing trend

Increasing future importance of skill.

Increasing trend

Stable future importance of skill.

Proficiency level

Duties

Adopt Lean and Six Sigma principles in projects/processes of assignment

Develop operational plans and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for equipment and systems

Recommend improvements to procedures and work methods for production areas or processes

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Hard skills

Trend

Proficiency

Six Sigma and Lean management principles

Expert

Knowledge of Scrum theory, rules, and practices

Expert

Experience with agile methods, practices, patterns, and techniques

Expert

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Soft skills

Trend

Proficiency

Conflict management

Expert

Communication skills

Expert

Moderation skills

Advanced

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Industrial Clerk.

The Industrial Clerk is accountable for numerous tasks in all sectors of industrial companies. He/she works in offices and secretariats or the various operational departments. He/she is responsible for calls, e-mails and correspondence and keeps company documents.

Increasing trend

Increasing future importance of skill.

Increasing trend

Stable future importance of skill.

Proficiency level

Duties

Maintain files and records updated and easily accessible

Maintain the organization’s current filing and database systems and sustain an organized system of electronic documents

Respond and handle incoming correspondence, including screening mail, faxes, and telephone calls to the primary office line

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Hard skills

Trend

Proficiency

Experience in an administrative and secretarial role

Expert

Experience in planning, organizing, and prioritizing administrative tasks and systems

Expert

Ability to keep paper and electronic files and documents organized and accessible

Expert

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Soft skills

Trend

Proficiency

Organizational skills

Expert

Attention to details

Expert

Learning agility

Advanced

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Laboratory Assistant.

The Chemical Laboratory Assistant involves helping scientists and researchers during lab tests and experiments. The duties of a Chemical Laboratory Assistant may include processing samples, classification of results, and documenting findings. He/She prepares and monitors experiments and tests in a chemical/medical or research laboratory. He/She makes qualitative and quantitative analyses of solids, liquids, and gaseous materials for research and development of new products or processes, quality control, maintenance of environmental standards, and other work involving experimental, theoretical, or practical application of chemistry and related sciences.He/She analyzes data and creates reports based on the results of tests. The Chemical Laboratory Assistant set up lab equipment and clean lab rooms following a research experiment.

Increasing trend

Increasing future importance of skill.

Increasing trend

Stable future importance of skill.

Proficiency level

Duties

Maintain, clean, or sterilize laboratory instruments or equipment

Monitor product quality to ensure compliance with standards and specifications

Conduct chemical or physical laboratory tests to assist scientists in making qualitative or quantitative analyses of solids, liquids, or gaseous materials

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Hard skills

Trend

Proficiency

Chemistry and relative sub-branches

Expert

Mathematics and relative sub-branches

Expert

Computer and electronic

Expert

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Soft skills

Trend

Proficiency

Critical thinking

Advanced

Problem-solving

Advanced

Social perceptiveness

Advanced

Integrity

Advanced

Attention to detail

Advanced

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Chemical Technician.

The Chemical Technician/Foreman assists chemists and engineers with chemical processing and testing. He/she works in labs or manufacturing plants, conducting experiments, testing compounds, and analyzing substances and data. Chemical Technicians also write reports and troubleshoot equipment. As a highly organized individual, he/she has the opportunity to lead other technicians, design and conduct new experiments, and present findings to peers and superiors.

Increasing trend

Increasing future importance of skill.

Increasing trend

Stable future importance of skill.

Proficiency level

Duties

Provide and maintain a safe work environment by participating in safety programs, committees, or teams and by conducting laboratory or plant safety audits

Monitor product quality to ensure compliance with standards and specifications

Order and inventory materials to maintain supplies

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Hard skills

Trend

Proficiency

Chemistry and relative sub-branches

Advanced

Quality control analysis

Advanced

Operations monitoring

Advanced

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Soft skills

Trend

Proficiency

Problem-solving

Advanced

Time management

Advanced

Service orientation

Advanced

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Electronics Technician.

The Electronics Technician performs routine maintenance work on the equipment and/or facilities and recommends equipment set-up improvements in accordance with work disposition records. He/she is responsible for controlling and monitoring maintenance processes for issues in accordance with organizational requirements. The Technician contributes to productivity improvements and is responsible for taking the initiative to implement corrective action. He/she works on rotating shifts and is responsible for providing basic engineering technical support to ensure smooth production flow and process flow following organizational requirements.

Increasing trend

Increasing future importance of skill.

Increasing trend

Stable future importance of skill.

Proficiency level

Duties

Install and assemble electronic systems based on technical specifications

Repair and maintain electronic systems as needed

Operate power and manual tools safely to avoid accidents

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Hard skills

Trend

Proficiency

Data synthesis

Expert

Electrostatic discharge control

Expert

Automated operation monitoring

Advanced

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Soft skills

Trend

Proficiency

Communication

Basic

Digital literacy

Basic

Lifelong learning

Basic

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