He was a licensed attorney in England before he began his engineering career.
In 1827, he was announced as Professor of Engineering and the Application of Mechanical Philosophy to the Arts at the new London University (now University College London), but decided not to take up the position after a dispute with the college over pay.
Millington served as Professor of Chemistry and Natural Philosophy at the College of William and Mary from 1836 to 1848, Professor of Chemistry and Natural Science at the University of Mississippi.
He obtained a doctoral degree in medicine and served as Professor at the Memphis Medical College.
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