What Do Chemical Plant or System Operator Do?
Chemical Plant or System Operator Example Control or operate entire chemical processes or system of machines.
Chemical Plant or System Operator Responsibilities
- Patrol work areas to ensure that solutions in tanks or troughs are not in danger of overflowing.
- Start pumps to wash and rinse reactor vessels, to exhaust gases or vapors, to regulate the flow of oil, steam, air, or perfume to towers, or to add products to converter or blending vessels.
- Confer with technical and supervisory personnel to report or resolve conditions affecting safety, efficiency, or product quality.
- Draw samples of products and conduct quality control tests to monitor processing and to ensure that standards are met.
- Gauge tank levels, using calibrated rods.
- Regulate or shut down equipment during emergency situations, as directed by supervisory personnel.
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Chemical Plant or System Operator Skills
When polled, Chemical Plant and System Operators say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Related Job Titles
- Pharmaceutical Development Technician
- Process Operator
- Production Operator
- Operations Technician
- Nitrogen Operator
Chemical Plant or System Operator Employment Estimates
In the United States, there were 33,200 jobs for Chemical Plant or System Operator in 2016. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Chemical Plant or System Operator. There will be an estimated 2,800 positions for Chemical Plant or System Operator per year.

The states with the most job growth for Chemical Plant or System Operator are South Dakota, North Dakota, and Arizona. Watch out if you plan on working in Kentucky, California, or South Carolina. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
How Much Does a Chemical Plant or System Operator Make?
The typical yearly salary for Chemical Plant and System Operators is somewhere between $34,830 and $88,630.

Chemical Plant and System Operators who work in Wyoming, Texas, or Alabama, make the highest salaries.
How much do Chemical Plant and System Operators make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $68,800 |
Arizona | $60,790 |
Arkansas | $48,360 |
California | $58,160 |
Colorado | $49,320 |
Delaware | $62,910 |
Florida | $59,080 |
Georgia | $52,160 |
Illinois | $66,700 |
Indiana | $50,040 |
Iowa | $60,250 |
Kansas | $54,240 |
Kentucky | $60,090 |
Louisiana | $68,150 |
Maryland | $58,400 |
Massachusetts | $55,270 |
Michigan | $54,840 |
Minnesota | $51,340 |
Mississippi | $59,920 |
Montana | $61,240 |
Nevada | $52,630 |
New Jersey | $62,880 |
New York | $56,400 |
North Carolina | $50,370 |
Ohio | $60,820 |
Oregon | $57,220 |
Pennsylvania | $63,170 |
Rhode Island | $48,310 |
South Carolina | $54,470 |
South Dakota | $48,140 |
Texas | $69,010 |
Utah | $57,500 |
Virginia | $51,040 |
Washington | $52,690 |
West Virginia | $63,980 |
Wisconsin | $56,770 |
Wyoming | $72,950 |
What Tools do Chemical Plant and System Operators Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Chemical Plant and System Operators may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Distributed control system DCS
- Interlock shutdown systems
Becoming a Chemical Plant or System Operator
What education is needed to be a Chemical Plant or System Operator?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where do Chemical Plant and System Operators Work?

Chemical Plant and System Operators work in the following industries:

Related Careers
Those interested in being a Chemical Plant or System Operator may also be interested in:
Career changers with experience as a Chemical Plant or System Operator sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
- Nuclear Monitoring Technicians
- Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators
- Nuclear Power Reactor Operators
References:
Image Credit: NASA via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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