The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed.
Carl Jung
Chemical Engineer Interview
I usually take time to reflect on my conversations with each engineer before writing these interview posts. But today’s engineer, Philip Black, not only answered my questions but also gave himself the perfect introduction.
All credit goes to Philip—find him here. Now, onto his introduction. Enjoy the interview!
I’m a chemical engineer, in oil and gas working in automation and control. For the last 25 years, I’ve worked as a consultant to energy companies, helping them ensure a steady stream of data from the field to the business while improving the quality and reliability of that information. I still work as an engineer because I enjoy working with technical teams who are familiar with the daily challenges of working in the field.
Outside of work, I enjoy performing improv comedy in Houston. I’ve discovered that pushing hard into my creative side is helping me as a technical person. The experience has enabled me to push outside the boundaries that I’ve placed upon myself in the past. Unexpectedly, it helped me discover and embrace my own personal superpowers I had developed over the years.
This work has been so transformative for me that I’ve started helping other professionals discover their own unique superpowers using improv techniques. Embracing their personal greatness allows them to create a career that rewards the effort they’ve put into doing what they love best – solving hard problems. It also helps them communicate the value they bring to the table. They don’t have to worry about being downsized or outsourced ever again. They know how to identify and position themselves for areas of growth and opportunity.
I’m always happy to share my journey with engineers, IT, Accounting or others. We all share very similar ways of thinking.
1. Can you briefly describe your career path and what led you to choose your specific field of engineering?
I enjoyed math and science in high school. My uncle was an engineer who worked in nuclear power. Chemistry was my favourite subject, so I picked chemical engineering. Everyone said it was a tough degree and paid well. At 18 years old, that was enough for me.
I’m from Kansas and I hated shovelling snow. After graduation, everyone said there were lots of opportunities in oil and gas. Houston doesn’t have cold winters, so when I got offered a job, I immediately threw away my gloves and winter coat and drove straight here!
2. What key skills do you believe are essential for success in your engineering discipline, and how did you develop these skills?
Everyone says they only used 10% of what they learned in engineering classes. That’s been true for me – I’ve never designed a reactor or sized a distillation column in my jobs. However, learning how to break a complex problem into steps and approach it in a logical fashion to create a solution is what engineering is actually about. These are the keys to succeeding in whatever areas. No matter what the technical problem I’m working on is, improving these skills through daily application is what it takes to succeed.
3. What are some common challenges you face in your industry, and how do you approach solving them?
The talent and skills of oil and gas workers is second to none. We build and operate giant complexes which transform crude oil and natural gas into so many important products that fuel the world. These complexes are full of potentially dangerous and hazardous materials – we know how to keep everyone who goes near these systems safe so they can get back home to their family. They are giant, taking years to construct and requiring millions of dollars of investment – we know how to manage the risk and uncertainty to keep the project on track.
Our problem, as technical talent, is that we focus on talking about what we’ve done and the interesting problems we’ve solved. That’s great for talking with other engineers, but most people only care about the impact our work has on their lives. We need to do a better job learning how to tell our story in a way that others can understand so they can appreciate the work we do each day.
4. Can you share an example of a complex project you managed or contributed to, and what were the critical factors in its success?
I’m passionate about the importance of protecting the environment. For about 7 years, I led teams designing and the air and wastewater monitoring and compliance reporting program for refineries and petrochemical plants in the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East. This included carbon monitoring as well. The critical factors in the success have been the right team members who are aligned in the larger purpose. We were able to work together cohesively, even with external pressures and the inevitable internal conflict that arose. We resolved the conflicts and didn’t let them fester until they caused giant explosions. Even after being away from this work for 10 years, I still have close relationships with those I led and worked with.
5. How do you stay current with the latest developments and technologies in your field?
I love to learn. I’m always reading articles or papers and attending conferences.
6. Did you have a mentor early in your career? How did their guidance impact your professional development?
Fun fact – While I’ve always enjoyed working and learning from others with more experience, I’ve actually never had a formal mentor.
7. What practical experiences or internships were most beneficial to you during your studies or early career?
My first real job was at Goodyear. There, a maintenance supervisor that had been in the same plant for 40 years took a liking to me. He taught me so much about how processes worked when real machinery was involved and it wasn’t just a textbook problem. He also taught me respect for those who had practical knowledge gained from their years of dealing with equipment, but hadn’t gone to college. This has been invaluable to me for working with operators who know the ins and outs of a process and could help troubleshoot.
8. How important are soft skills such as communication, teamwork, and leadership in your role, and how do you cultivate them?
Absolutely critical. I’d say one of the underlying skills in communication is the ability to tell an interesting story. The beautiful thing is storytelling is something any person can learn to do – even engineers.
I discovered technical people tell stories very differently than most other people when I took a public speaking class. When I tried to tell a story from my life to my partner she mentioned that I talked too much about stuff that didn’t interest her and completely skipped the most important pieces.
For those interested in the components of a good story, Pixar has an excellent module on Khan Academy which highlights their simple story structure which can be applied to any project, job, or life experience. I have everyone I work with go through this module so we can use it as a reference when learning how to talk about their superpower. You can find it at https://www.engineercareerpivot.com/even-engineers-can-learn-to-tell-a-good-story-pixar
9. What advice would you give to young engineers or engineering students who are just starting their careers?
I was at the lowest point in my career, ready to leave oil and gas and engineering as well. My partner signed me up for an improv class which changed my life completely. I discovered such a joy in pursuing something creative, really focusing on discovering the right side of my brain, which I had discounted as not really important for so long.
Even if you don’t consider yourself artistic in any form or fashion, take a local class or even a workshop in anything until you find something you enjoy. There’s something freeing about doing something just for the sake of creating something new which has never existed before. If you stick with it for at least 6 months, you’ll start to experience moments of creative problem solving in your daily work as well.
10. What emerging trends or technologies do you think will have the biggest impact on the engineering field in the next five to ten years?
AI and machine learning is transforming how we solve problems and develop new solutions. It’s such a fundamental shift to find a statistically significant result instead of focusing on finding the “right” answer. The logic is still important, but the process is very different than say solving an algebraic equation.
The challenge for oil and gas is how to use it properly in safety critical situations and systems.
Bonus question:
Are there any courses/books/videos/websites that you would recommend young engineers & students to look into when starting in your field?
I discovered Stuart Walesh, who wrote a book in 2017 about creativity and engineering.
A huge thank you to our engineer, Philip, for participating in this interview and sharing his career journey, insights, and valuable advice!
For me, the standout in this interview was his answer to question 8—learning how to tell a story as a soft skill really struck a chord. Engineers often struggle to convey their ideas and gain buy-in for projects, as our technical mindset doesn’t always lend itself to natural conversations.
Having a compelling story, with all the facts seamlessly embedded, can effectively highlight the importance of an idea. Learning to tell that story—not for dramatization, but to clearly communicate the message—is a fundamental skill for any engineer.
The books in this piece are some of the many I have read to enrich and develop myself, check out my current reading list and recommendations at:
What are your thoughts? Have I covered everything or is there more you know and would like to share?
I’m always learning and improving this site and my blogs, so please feel free to get in touch with me via LinkedIn or this site to discuss any topics I have covered.
If you’re having trouble finding ways to progress check out this site filled with free learning tools:
