Chemical Plant & System Operators

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Chemical Operator, Plant Technician (Plant Tech), Process Operator, Process Technician (Process Tech)

What they do:
Control or operate entire chemical processes or system of machines.
On the job, you would:
  • Monitor recording instruments, flowmeters, panel lights, or other indicators and listen for warning signals to verify conformity of process conditions.
  • Move control settings to make necessary adjustments on equipment units affecting speeds of chemical reactions, quality, or yields.
  • Draw samples of products and conduct quality control tests to monitor processing and to ensure that standards are met.

Knowledge

Engineering and Technology

  • mechanical
  • product and service development

Math and Science

  • arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics
  • chemistry

Manufactured or Agricultural Goods

  • manufacture and distribution of products

Safety and Government

  • public safety and security

Skills

Basic Skills

  • keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
  • thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem

Problem Solving

  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Abilities

Verbal

  • communicate by speaking
  • listen and understand what people say

Attention

  • pay attention to something without being distracted

Ideas and Logic

  • notice when problems happen
  • order or arrange things

Visual Understanding

  • quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.

They do well at jobs that need:

  • Stress Tolerance
  • Self-Control
  • Cautiousness
  • Integrity
  • Attention to Detail
  • Dependability

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Spreadsheet software

  • Microsoft Excel

Industrial control software

  • Alarm management system software
  • Distributed control system DCS

Network security or virtual private network VPN management software

  • Coordinated incident management system CIMS software

Education

high school diploma/GED or
certificate after high school
usually needed

Get started on your career:

Find Training
Apprenticeship.gov

Job Outlook

Below Average
New job opportunities are less likely in the future.

Salary:

$78,120
$48,400
$111,930
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