CV Process Engineer: Example and Template
This is what a compelling Swiss CV looks like for process and chemical engineers in chemicals, pharma and plant engineering.
Currently 22 open Process Engineer positions in Switzerland, across 7 cantons, 4 of them from the last 7 days. Ecolab advertises the most.
CV example — two-page template
This template is editable straight away — or upload your existing CV and it is carried into this layout automatically.
What qualifications do you need as a Process Engineer in Switzerland?
The usual path is a Bachelor's or Master's degree in process engineering, chemical engineering or bioprocess engineering from ETH, EPFL, FHNW, ZHAW or HES-SO - or advancement via a technical vocational education followed by further training at HF level.
The classic route runs via a BSc in chemical and bioprocess engineering (FHNW Muttenz, ZHAW Wädenswil, HES-SO) or a degree in process engineering at ETH Zurich or génie chimique at EPFL. For positions with design and project responsibility, employers in Basel, Valais and the Rhine Valley usually expect a Master's degree; for plant-focused roles in production and maintenance, a Bachelor's degree is often sufficient. Write your qualification precisely: 'MSc ETH Process Engineering' says more than 'engineering degree'.
The second path starts with an EFZ apprenticeship as a chemical and pharmaceutical technologist, plant and equipment builder or polymechanic, followed by the vocational baccalaureate and a university of applied sciences degree, or the qualification 'Dipl. Techniker HF Systemtechnik/Prozesstechnik'. This combination is highly valued at Swiss production companies because you know the plant from an operational perspective. In this case, name the apprenticeship explicitly and use figures to show which plants and batch sizes you were responsible for.
Equally decisive are the specialist certificates actually requested in the job ad: HAZOP study leadership, explosion protection expertise according to SUVA 2153, GMP and GAMP 5 training, Six Sigma Green or Black Belt, and knowledge of the Major Accidents Ordinance. List these certificates with the year in a dedicated block and add simulation software such as Aspen Plus, so that HR can recognise your suitability within seconds.
How do you present your work experience convincingly in the CV?
For each position, briefly describe the plant context (industry, process, reactor volume, batch sizes) and then list three to four achievements with figures on yield, cycle time, OEE, budget or savings.
HR managers in the process industry first read what kind of environment you worked in: batch or continuous, GMP or non-GMP, Ex zone or not, scale in litres or tonnes per year. Two lines of context per role answer these questions and make your achievements easier to assess. A bullet point such as 'Scale-up from a 100 l pilot to a 6'300 l reactor, yield increased from 84 to 91 percent' is ten times stronger than 'optimisation of production processes'.
Choose metrics that matter in this industry: yield in percentage points, cycle time per batch, OEE, first pass yield, deviation and CAPA figures, solvent recovery, energy consumption per tonne of product, project budget in CHF and schedule adherence. Add which role you held - HAZOP study leader, system owner, process engineering project manager - and which interfaces you worked with (QA, automation, maintenance, external EPC partners, SVTI).
Keep the order reverse chronological and state months and years; explain any gaps of more than three months in one line. For applications abroad or at international corporations in Basel and Valais, an English version with the same figures is recommended. Tailor your keywords to the job ad: if it asks for 'technology transfer' and 'process validation', these exact terms should appear in your achievements.
How long should the CV be and do you need a photo?
Two pages are standard, a professional photo is still customary in Switzerland, and a compact dossier with diplomas and reference letters is part of it.
Plan for a maximum of two pages: page one with your profile, core competencies, tools and current role, page two with further positions, education, certificates and languages. Summarise older positions into short one-liners after twelve to fifteen years. A third page only makes sense for publications, patents or a long list of projects - in that case as a separate 'project references' addendum.
A professional portrait photo is still common with Swiss employers and is rarely viewed negatively. Also state your place of residence, nationality or permit (B, C, G), since companies in Valais, Basel or the Rhine Valley factor in commuting distance and shift work. If you are a cross-border commuter or plan to relocate, state this directly - it prevents unnecessary rejections.
Attach diplomas, reference letters and relevant certificates to your dossier as a single PDF, named for example 'CV_Zumbrunn_ProcessEngineer.pdf'. Only mention your salary expectations if requested; in process and chemical engineering, annual salaries typically range between CHF 95'000 and CHF 140'000 depending on experience and region, with supplements for shift or on-call duty. State references as 'available on request' and inform the people named beforehand.
Where Process Engineer are hired in Switzerland
How the 22 open positions are spread across the cantons.
Figures as a table
| Canton | postings |
|---|---|
| Solothurn | 5 |
| Basel-Stadt | 2 |
| St. Gallen | 1 |
| Appenzell Ausserrhoden | 1 |
| Zürich | 1 |
| Aargau | 1 |
| Waadt | 1 |
Which languages the postings require
Of 19 postings that state a language — in brackets, those requiring professional level.
Figures as a table
| Language | postings |
|---|---|
| English | 17 (17) |
| German | 11 (11) |
Who hires Process Engineer in Switzerland
Employers with the most open positions. Staffing agencies are excluded.
Figures as a table
| Employer | postings |
|---|---|
| Ecolab | 5 |
| VAT GROUP | 3 |
| hitachi | 2 |
| Hitachi Energy | 2 |
| BakerHicks | 2 |
| Axetris AG | 1 |
Full-time or part-time?
How the positions are advertised.
Figures as a table
| Workload | postings |
|---|---|
| Vollzeit / plein temps | 17 |
The CV in full
To read through and reuse.
Fabian Zumbrunn
Senior Process Engineer, MSc ETH Process Engineering
Process engineer with 11 years of experience in GMP active pharmaceutical ingredient production and fine chemicals, from lab and pilot phase through to the commissioning of multi-purpose plants with a 6'300 l reactor volume. Focus areas are scale-up of batch processes, mass and energy balances, HAZOP leadership and process validation according to ICH Q8-Q11. Delivers investment projects of up to CHF 8.5 million on time and on budget, working closely with production, QA and authorities (Swissmedic, SVTI).
What sets me apart
Scale-up with a robust data foundation: Transfers laboratory recipes via pilot trials (100 l) to production reactors of up to 6'300 l using documented similarity criteria (P/V, mixing time, heat transfer) - the last three transfers were completed without a single yield deviation exceeding 3 percentage points.
Process safety as a core competency: Leads HAZOP and LOPA studies, prepares safety reports under the Major Accidents Ordinance (StFV) and implements explosion protection concepts according to ATEX 2014/34/EU and SUVA guideline 2153, including zone classification and dust characteristics per VDI 2263.
GMP assurance in day-to-day operations: Prepares and defends URS, IQ/OQ/PQ and process validation reports according to EudraLex Vol. 4 and GAMP 5; no critical findings in areas of responsibility across four Swissmedic and two FDA inspections.
Calculating instead of estimating: Models distillation, crystallisation and drying in Aspen Plus and analyses production data with Minitab (DoE, MSA, control charts) - decisions on plant design and parameter windows are statistically validated.
Key achievements
Yield increase in the API process. Re-parameterised the crystallisation step of an active ingredient using DoE (24 trials): yield increased from 84 to 91 percent, particle size distribution stabilised, annual benefit of CHF 1.2 million.
Investment project for multi-purpose plant. Led process engineering for a new production line worth CHF 8.5 million: basic and detail engineering, 62 P&IDs, commissioning and validation completed three weeks ahead of milestone.
Solvent balance overhauled. Increased the recovery rate of toluene and isopropanol from 74 to 92 percent, saved 210 t of hazardous waste per year and reduced disposal costs by CHF 380'000.
Experience
Senior Process Engineer — Aarewerk Pharma AG, Visp, since 03/2020
GMP active pharmaceutical ingredient production (small molecules), three multi-purpose plants with 42 reactors from 250 to 6'300 l, 24/7 operations with 130 employees.
- Scaled up seven processes from development to production scale; reduced average cycle time per batch by 18 percent
- Led an investment project worth CHF 8.5 million as process engineering project manager, released 62 P&IDs, handed over the plant three weeks ahead of schedule
- Increased OEE of the main line from 62 to 78 percent; redesigned cleaning validation (CIP/SIP) and shortened changeover time by 6.5 hours per campaign
- Led 14 HAZOP studies and implemented 96 percent of the resulting measures within 12 months
Process Engineer Fine Chemicals — Helvetia Fine Chemicals AG, Muttenz, 08/2016 - 02/2020
Batch production of intermediates and specialty chemicals, batch sizes from 2 to 12 t, plants in Ex zones 1 and 2.
- Optimised solvent recovery via rectification column: rate increased from 74 to 92 percent, saving CHF 380'000 per year
- Redesigned the drying process (paddle dryer), reduced residual moisture from 0.8 to 0.2 percent and cut complaints by 71 percent
- Prepared explosion protection documentation for 9 plant components according to SUVA 2153 and VDI 2263, SVTI acceptance of 5 pressure vessels with no rework required
- Led a Six Sigma project to reduce scrap: deviation rate reduced from 4.2 to 1.1 percent, benefit of CHF 540'000
Process Engineer Basic & Detail Engineering — Nordwest Anlagenbau AG, Aarau, 09/2013 - 07/2016
Engineering service provider for chemical and food plants, projects between CHF 0.4 and 6 million in German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland.
- Created over 45 P&IDs according to EN ISO 10628 and released for execution across 11 client projects
- Designed heat exchangers, pumps and columns for 8 plants; pressure drop calculations reduced installed pump capacity by 14 percent
- Supported the on-site commissioning of 6 plants, reducing average start-up time to on-spec product from 9 to 5 days
- Introduced standardised calculation templates that reduced the effort for quotation calculations by around 30 hours per project
Education
Master of Science ETH, Process Engineering, specialisation in Process and Plant Engineering — ETH Zurich · 2013
Bachelor of Science FHNW, Chemical Engineering — University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland, Muttenz · 2011
CAS, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing and GMP Compliance — ZHAW Wädenswil · 2018
Six Sigma Black Belt (2019) · HAZOP Study Leader, SGVC certificate (2017) · Explosion Protection Specialist according to SUVA guideline 2153 (2016) · IPMA Level C, Certified Project Manager (2021)