Occupation Details
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.
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Interests
Investigative
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Enterprising
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Work Values
Achievement
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Working Conditions
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Independence
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Salary & Job Outlook
Starting Salary
$119,400.00
New York StateMedian Salary
$167,390.00
New York StateExperienced Salary
$201,080.00
New York StateNational Average for Comparison
New York State Job Market Outlook
Jobs Right Now (2018)
6,990
professionals in NYFuture Job Growth (2030)
7,840
+85 jobs/yearNew Jobs Every Year
595
new opportunities yearlyGrowth Rate
0.1%
projected increasePreparation: Experience, Training, and Education
The list below outlines the prior educational experience required to perform in this occupation.
Degree Needed - Four-year college
Experience Requirements
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Education Requirements
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Training Details
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Transferrable Skills and Experience
Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include real estate brokers, sales managers, database administrators, graphic designers, conservation scientists, art directors, and cost estimators.
School Programs
The following lists school programs which are applicable to this occupation.
Licensing & Certification
State License and Certifications Requirements are not currently associated with this occupation.
Skills
The list below includes the skills required by workers in this occupation; skills are what allow you to learn more quickly and improve your performance.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Skill level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Knowledge
The list below includes knowledge items, the principles and facts required by this occupation.
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Chemistry
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
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
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Production and Processing
Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Computers and Electronics
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Knowledge level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Work Environment
The list below includes the physical and social factors that influence the nature of work in this occupation.
Hover over or tap each factor to see its description.
Work Styles
Included in the list below are the personal work style characteristics that can affect how well a worker is likely to perform in this occupation.
Achievement/Effort
Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Adaptability/Flexibility
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Analytical Thinking
Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Cooperation
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Initiative
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Persistence
Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Stress Tolerance
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
Tools & Technology
This list below describes the machines, equipment, tools, software, and information technology that workers in this occupation will use.
Tools
- Absorption equipment
- Autosamplers
- Bioreactors
- Biosafety cabinets
- Desktop computers
- Dissolved oxygen monitors
- Distillation equipment
- Extraction equipment
- Fermentation systems
- Flocculators
- Flow indicators
- Forced convection incubators
- Gas chromatograph mass spectrometers GC-MS
- Gas chromatographs GC
- Gel electrophoresis equipment
- Glass flasks
- High pressure liquid chromatographs HPLC
- Inverted compound microscopes
- Laptop computers
- Level indicators
- Mass spectrometers
- Orbital incubating shakers
- Personal computers
- Polymerase chain reaction PCR equipment
- Pressure indicators
- Safety glasses
- Safety gloves
- Spectrophotometers
- Temperature probes
- Top-loading autoclaves
Technology
- Ab Initio
- Adobe Systems Adobe Illustrator
- Agilent ChemStation
- Computer aided design CAD software
- Dassault Systemes CATIA
- Email software
- Epic Systems
- Fleet Asset Management and Optimization Solutions FAMOS PEPSE
- Formula translation/translator FORTRAN
- Fund accounting software
- GE Energy GateCycle
- Linux
- Microsoft Dynamics
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Great Plains Personal Data Keeper
- Microsoft Office
Duties
Job duties information is not available for this occupation.
Tasks
The list below outlines specific tasks that a worker in this occupation is called upon to do regularly.
- Design or conduct applied biodiesel or biofuels research projects on topics, such as transport, thermodynamics, mixing, filtration, distillation, fermentation, extraction, and separation.
- Analyze data from biofuels studies, such as fluid dynamics, water treatments, or solvent extraction and recovery processes.
- Prepare, or oversee the preparation of, experimental plans for biofuels research or development.
- Provide technical or scientific guidance to technical staff in the conduct of biofuels research or development.
- Propose new biofuels products, processes, technologies or applications based on findings from applied biofuels or biomass research projects.
- Conduct experiments on biomass or pretreatment technologies.
- Prepare biofuels research and development reports for senior management or technical professionals.
- Develop lab scale models of industrial scale processes, such as fermentation.
- Oversee biodiesel/biofuels prototyping or development projects.
- Develop methods to estimate the efficiency of biomass pretreatments.
- Conduct experiments to test new or alternate feedstock fermentation processes.
- 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.
- Conduct research to breed or develop energy crops with improved biomass yield, environmental adaptability, pest resistance, production efficiency, bioprocessing characteristics, or reduced environmental impacts.
- Develop computational tools or approaches to improve biofuels research and development activities.
- Develop separation processes to recover biofuels.
- Design chemical conversion processes, such as etherification, esterification, interesterification, transesterification, distillation, hydrogenation, oxidation or reduction of fats and oils, and vegetable oil refining.
- Design or execute solvent or product recovery experiments in laboratory or field settings.
- Develop methods to recover ethanol or other fuels from complex bioreactor liquid and gas streams.

