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Career Details

11-9041.01 - Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers


Define, plan, or execute biofuels/biodiesel research programs that evaluate alternative feedstock and process technologies with near-term commercial potential.


Key Facts
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Bright Outlook
1
Career Details
Green Job
Career Details
Current Employment
182,100
Estimate
Forecasted Employment
185,800
Estimate
Change in Employment
+3,700
Estimate
Change in Employment %
+2%
Estimate
Tasks
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Tasks
The tasks listed below can be performed to prepare you for a career in this field.
Core
  • Develop lab scale models of industrial scale processes, such as fermentation.
  • Provide technical or scientific guidance to technical staff in the conduct of biofuels research or development.
  • Prepare, or oversee the preparation of, experimental plans for biofuels research or development.
  • Prepare biofuels research and development reports for senior management or technical professionals.
  • Design or conduct applied biodiesel or biofuels research projects on topics, such as transport, thermodynamics, mixing, filtration, distillation, fermentation, extraction, and separation.
  • Conduct experiments on biomass or pretreatment technologies.
  • Conduct experiments to test new or alternate feedstock fermentation processes.
  • Analyze data from biofuels studies, such as fluid dynamics, water treatments, or solvent extraction and recovery processes.
  • Oversee biodiesel/biofuels prototyping or development projects.
  • Propose new biofuels products, processes, technologies or applications based on findings from applied biofuels or biomass research projects.
Supplemental
  • Develop computational tools or approaches to improve biofuels research and development activities.
  • Develop carbohydrates arrays and associated methods for screening enzymes involved in biomass conversion.
  • Perform protein functional analysis and engineering for processing of feedstock and creation of biofuels.
  • Develop separation processes to recover biofuels.
  • Develop methods to recover ethanol or other fuels from complex bioreactor liquid and gas streams.
  • Develop methods to estimate the efficiency of biomass pretreatments.
  • Design or execute solvent or product recovery experiments in laboratory or field settings.
  • Design chemical conversion processes, such as etherification, esterification, interesterification, transesterification, distillation, hydrogenation, oxidation or reduction of fats and oils, and vegetable oil refining.
  • Conduct research to breed or develop energy crops with improved biomass yield, environmental adaptability, pest resistance, production efficiency, bioprocessing characteristics, or reduced environmental impacts.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Knowledge
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Knowledge

The items listed below are organized into sections that contain knowledge useful for pursuing a career in this field. Each section also contains a "Percentage of Importance" statistic that shows how relevant an item is to the occupation.
 English Language
  • 81%
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
 Chemistry
  • 81%
    Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
 Engineering and Technology
  • 79%
    Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
 Mathematics
  • 71%
    Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
 Production and Processing
  • 68%
    Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
 Computers and Electronics
  • 65%
    Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
 Mechanical
  • 64%
    Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
 Administration and Management
  • 61%
    Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
 Customer and Personal Service
  • 59%
    Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
 Physics
  • 57%
    Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.
 Public Safety and Security
  • 55%
    Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
 Biology
  • 54%
    Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
 Building and Construction
  • 52%
    Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
 Design
  • 51%
    Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
 Education and Training
  • 50%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Tools
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Tools
The tools listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Fermentation equipment
  • Fermentation systems
  • Bioreactors
 Laboratory incubating equipment
  • Forced convection incubators
  • Orbital incubating shakers
 Indicating and recording instruments
  • Flow indicators
  • Level indicators
 Spectroscopic equipment
  • Gas chromatograph mass spectrometers GC-MS
  • Mass spectrometers
  • Spectrophotometers
 Electrochemical measuring instruments and accessories
  • pH indicators
  • Dissolved oxygen monitors
 Chromatographic measuring instruments and accessories
  • Gas chromatographs GC
  • High pressure liquid chromatographs HPLC
  • Autosamplers
 Computers
  • Laptop computers
  • Desktop computers
  • Personal computers
 Safety apparel
  • Safety gloves
 Water treatment and supply equipment
  • Absorption equipment
  • Flocculators
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Technology
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Technology
The technologies listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Business function specific software
  • Microsoft ProjectHOT
  • Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio ManagementHOT
  • Microsoft OfficeHOT
 Finance accounting and enterprise resource planning ERP software
  • Fund accounting software
  • Ab InitioHOT
  • Microsoft DynamicsHOT
  • SAPHOT
  • Microsoft Great Plains Personal Data Keeper
 Content authoring and editing software
  • Adobe Systems Adobe IllustratorHOT
  • Microsoft VisioHOT
  • Microsoft WordHOT
  • Microsoft PowerPointHOT
  • Microsoft ExcelHOT
 Data management and query software
  • Microsoft SQL ServerHOT
  • Structure query language SQL
 Development software
  • Formula translation/translator FORTRAN
  • National Instruments LabVIEWHOT
  • Microsoft SQL Server Integration Services SSISHOT
  • Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services SSRS
  • Oracle JavaHOT
  • Practical extraction and reporting language PerlHOT
  • PythonHOT
 Industry specific software
  • Computer aided design CAD softwareHOT
  • Agilent ChemStation
  • Fleet Asset Management and Optimization Solutions FAMOS PEPSE
  • GE Energy GateCycle
  • Epic SystemsHOT
  • Dassault Systemes CATIA
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Certifications
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Certifications
The certifications listed below are useful to pursue if you are interested in a career in this field.
No specific certifications are listed for this career
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Licensing
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Licensing
The licensing information below is organized into sections and is useful for pursuing if you are interested in a career in this field.
No specific licensing information is listed for this occupation in the area you have selected.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Related Programs
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Programs related to this career, offered by participating institution(s), are listed below.

Clicking on the Degree programs in the list below will take you away from the Careers page.
INSTITUTION
PROGRAMS
Brightpoint Community College
Central Virginia Community College
Danville Community College
Germanna Community College
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College
Laurel Ridge Community College
Mountain Empire Community College
New River Community College
Northern Virginia Community College
Paul D. Camp Community College
Piedmont Virginia Community College
Rappahannock Community College
Southwest Virginia Community College
Tidewater Community College
Virginia Peninsula Community College
Virginia Western Community College
Wytheville Community College
Jobs
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Jobs related to this career may be found on Indeed.com or on the Google Job Search page.