His father died when he was young, and he took a modest job in a trading house in Reims, then in the bank of Baron François-Alexandre Seillière.

[3] Schneider showed great aptitude for business, and at the age of 25 was appointed a director of the forges at Bazeilles.

[3] In the crisis year of 1848 Charles de Wendel and Eugène Schneider saved the foundry at Fourchambault from bankruptcy by co-signing a huge bank loan.

On 20 January 1851, Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte, President of the Republic, invited Schneider to join an interim cabinet as Minister of Agriculture and Commerce, which he kept until 10 April 1851.

He became a member of the consultative commission, and on 29 February 1852 was elected to the Corps législatif for the 2nd constituency of Saône-et-Loire, running as the official candidate.

[2] When Jérôme David was reappointed Vice-President in June 1869, this was seen as a promise to the reactionary party, and Schneider submitted his resignation.