Corrosion Engineer

a guide to: Career

What is a Corrosion Engineer?

A Corrosion Engineer analyses, monitors, and prevents the degradation of materials, equipment and structures by chemical or electrochemical processes, selects suitable materials and protective systems, designs mitigation strategies, and ensures safety, integrity and longevity of assets in industries like oil, gas, infrastructure and manufacturing.

Why is a Corrosion Engineer important?

Corrosion Engineers are vital for preserving infrastructure and industrial assets, reducing huge economic losses, and most importantly, ensuring public safety by maintaining the integrity of critical systems.

Safety Assurance:
Prevents catastrophic failures in pipelines, bridges, and other structures.
Economic Savings:
Minimizes repair, replacement, and downtime costs through proactive design and maintenance.
Asset Longevity:
Extends the service life of equipment, buildings, and infrastructure systems.
Environmental Protection:
Prevents leaks, contamination, and degradation, ensuring sustainable and safe operations.

Corrosion Engineers play a crucial role in sustaining the health of industrial and infrastructure systems—bridging materials science and engineering practice to keep equipment safe, cost‑effective and long‑service oriented.

Education Pathways

Option 01

  • 10th Class

    after

  • 10+2

    in the Science Stream

  • Pursue a Bachelor’s degree

    in Metallurgical Engineering, Materials Science/Engineering, Chemical Engineering

  • Pursue a Master’s (M.Tech/M.S) or PG Diploma

    in Corrosion Science & Technology / Materials & Corrosion.

  • Gain industry‑relevant certifications

    (e.g., from AMPP / formerly NACE) in corrosion prevention, cathodic protection, inspection & asset integrity.

Stream
Important Subjects
# Subject
1 Materials Science & Metallurgy – Study of metals, alloys, microstructure, and their properties.
2 Electrochemistry – Understanding of corrosion reactions, potentials, currents, and environments.
3 Corrosion Mechanisms – Types of corrosion such as uniform, pitting, crevice, and stress cracking.
4 Protective Coatings & Linings – Design and application of corrosion-resistant surface systems.
5 Cathodic Protection Systems – Techniques to protect buried or immersed metallic structures.
6 Non-Destructive Testing & Inspection – Techniques for detecting degradation without damaging components.
7 Corrosion Monitoring & Diagnostics – Tools and methods to track corrosion rates and assess material condition.
8 Asset Integrity Management – Lifecycle management of assets using risk-based inspection and maintenance.
9 Failure Analysis & Forensics – Investigating the causes of corrosion failures and preventive measures.
10 Corrosion in Specific Industries – Study of corrosion issues in oil & gas, marine, infrastructure, and power sectors.
11 Environmental Effects on Corrosion – Influence of temperature, humidity, media, and chemicals on degradation.
12 Standards, Codes & Safety Regulations – Industry compliance, best practices, and safety norms in corrosion control.
Where to study?
Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy (IIPE) NIT Andhra Pradesh Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham IISc Bangalore IIT Hyderabad JNTU Hyderabad
Career Progression for a Corrosion Engineer

Qualification Levels:

  • Entry: Engineering degree (B.Tech/B.E) in suitable discipline + basic knowledge in materials/metallurgy/corrosion.
  • Further qualification: Master’s or specialized certification in corrosion/asset integrity.
  • Additional credential: Certification from AMPP/NACE etc.

Role Levels & Growth:

  • Junior/Associate Corrosion Engineer: Supports inspection, monitoring, material selection, corrosion studies.
  • Corrosion Engineer / Specialist: Leads corrosion control programmes, designs protective systems, does failure analysis.
  • Senior Corrosion Engineer / Lead: Manages teams, leads asset integrity, auditing, inspections across large projects or sites.
  • Corrosion Manager / Asset Integrity Manager: Responsible for integrity of multiple assets, budgeting, strategic risk planning.
  • Technical Director / Consultant / Principal Integrity Engineer: Expert advisor, oversees global programmes, sets policy, may work with major EPCs/consultancies.

Further Opportunities:

  • Transition into asset integrity management across industry sectors (oil & gas, power, infrastructure).
  • Consultancy: specialise in corrosion audits, risk‐based inspection, fitness‑for‐service.
  • Research & Development: in materials, coatings, advanced protection technologies.
  • International assignments: offshore platforms, global pipelines, large infrastructure.
  • Entrepreneurship: start up a corrosion consultancy, inspection firm, materials/coatings business.
Expected Salary

Entry Level

  • ₹4.5 - ₹10 LPA

Mid-Level

  • ₹10.0 - ₹20.0 LPA

Senior Level

  • ₹20.0 - ₹50.0 LPA

International

Entry Level

  • $60,000 - $85,000 per annum

Mid/Senior Level

  • $85,000 - $250,000 per annum
Sectors Offering
  • Oil & Gas (Upstream, Midstream, Downstream): Protection of pipelines, refineries, offshore platforms, and storage tanks.
  • Infrastructure & Construction: Integrity management of bridges, buildings, power plants, and concrete structures.
  • Chemical & Petrochemical: Maintaining process equipment, reactors, and storage facilities in corrosive environments.
  • Marine & Shipbuilding: Protecting ships, offshore structures, and port facilities from saltwater corrosion.
  • Aerospace & Defense: Ensuring the longevity and structural integrity of aircraft and military equipment.
  • Water & Wastewater Treatment: Protecting pipes, pumps, and treatment facility components from internal corrosion.
  • Power Generation: Corrosion control in cooling towers, boilers, and turbine components in thermal and nuclear plants.

Design by Find Right Path