Speakers: Ahmad Ameer Mohamad, Executive (Technology Delivery), PETRONAS
Ahmad Ameer Mohamad:
Introduce yourself
Ahmad Ameer Mohamad: Hi, I am Ahmad Ameer Mohamad. I graduated from University of Sheffield in chemical engineering back in 2020. Right now, I am with Petronas working in R&D sector. My current role is executive technology delivery.
What attracted you to the sector?
Ahmad Ameer Mohamad: Honestly, I have always been curious and love learning new stuff. So, R&D feels like the right place for me. It's fun getting to explore new ideas, try things out, and actually see them make a difference and being at Petronas where technology and sustainability go hand in hand, makes it even more meaningful.
What attracted you to your role?
Ahmad Ameer Mohamad: What drew me to this role was the chance to take something that works in the lab and scale it up to something that actually runs in the real world. It's a super hands-on and I love that challenge because something as simple as mixing or heating up your reaction can behave totally different when you scale up. So you need to think really careful on how to replicate the lab-scale result while ensuring safety and cost effectiveness. That mix of constant learning, problem solving and seeing ideas come to life is what makes this role so fun for me.
Which skills or knowledge from your degree do you use most often?
Ahmad Ameer Mohamad: I mostly use what I learned in process design and reaction engineering, especially since I spent a lot of time at pilot plants. Understanding how reactions behave at scale, choosing the right path and knowing the pressure and temperature rating for pipeline are also super important. In the lab, organic chemistry is very useful, especially when working with synthesis or reaction centre. If I could go back to my uni life, I would definitely spend more time reading research papers. Not just in chemical engineering but in other areas too. There is so much innovation happening and having that broader view really helps in R&D. So if you are an undergrad student I would say, stay curious, explore beyond your syllabus and don't be afraid to dive into new topics. You never know what might come in handy later.
What does your typical day or week involve?
Ahmad Ameer Mohamad: My week usually starts with getting a reaction recipe from the lab, then I scale it up and run it at pilot plant level. After the run, I analyse both the product and byproduct sample and review the data we logged during the reaction process. From there, I look into any challenge we face during the run, spot any opportunity for improvement or optimisation. I will discuss it with our subject matter expert, test the idea at the lab scale and if it looks promising I test it again at pilot scale. If it works we move into production mode for marketing based on business needs. This is a cycle of testing, learning and improving.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
Ahmad Ameer Mohamad: What I enjoy the most about my job is definitely the hands-on part. Taking something that works in the lab and making it work at a bigger scale is super satisfying to see a reaction go from a small lab-scale to a full pilot-plant run and eventually into production. I also love the problem-solving side of things. Every run comes with its own challenges and working with the team to figure out things to improve and testing new ideas keep things exciting. Plus, no two days are the same which makes my job even more exciting.
What was the biggest challenge you faced entering the world of work? And how have you overcome that?
Ahmad Ameer Mohamad: Honestly, when I first started, the biggest challenge was just trying to understand half the terms people were using. I wasn't sure if I really fit in or was even qualified for the job, but I learned that no one knows everything from day one, and it's totally OK to ask questions. Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty while doing technical work, and some of the best learning come from working with senior technicians, and it was a game changer for me.
What advice would you give to chemical engineering students who are interested in joining your sector?
Ahmad Ameer Mohamad: If you are thinking about joining the R&D sector, my advice is, don't be shy to ask when you do not understand something because no one expects you to know everything. Keep an open mind and do explore beyond your syllabus and comfort zone. And if you make a mistake do or something does not work out, that's totally fine because it's part of your learning process.
What's the most exciting development or opportunity in your field that you wish more people knew about?
Ahmad Ameer Mohamad: For me, one of the most exciting things happening in our field right now is the development of bio-based speciality chemicals. There is a lot of room for innovation. It is not just about making chemicals, it's about tailoring them for a very specific application that meets industrial standard while reducing environmental impact. They are also opening up new markets and applications for bio-based speciality *maker* especially in the sector like personal care and agriculture.
What IChemE resources do you recommend students use to help them take the first steps in their career?
Ahmad Ameer Mohamad: If you're just starting out, IChemE have some great stuff that's really helpful like free training available on the IChemE Sustainability Hub - very useful for building up your skills and knowledge. Also as a member you also get a free access to The Chemical Engineer magazine, Loss Prevention Bulletin and a bunch of journals. They have a lot of real-world case studies *later* research and industry updates. Perfect if you are aiming for a career in R&D or want to stay in the loop with what is happening in industry. This is the thing I use the most for my work and definitely worth exploring.
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