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What Does it Take to Be a Chemical Plant or System Operator?
Example of Chemical Plant or System Operator Job Control or operate entire chemical processes or system of machines.
A Day in the Life of a Chemical Plant or System Operator
- Draw samples of products and conduct quality control tests to monitor processing and to ensure that standards are met.
- Turn valves to regulate flow of products or byproducts through agitator tanks, storage drums, or neutralizer tanks.
- 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.
- Notify maintenance, stationary-engineering, or other auxiliary personnel to correct equipment malfunctions or to adjust power, steam, water, or air supplies.
- Monitor recording instruments, flowmeters, panel lights, or other indicators and listen for warning signals, to verify conformity of process conditions.
- Supervise the cleaning of towers, strainers, or spray tips.
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What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Chemical Plant or System Operator?
These are the skills Chemical Plant and System Operators say are the most useful in their careers:
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.
Types of Chemical Plant or System Operator
- Pharmaceutical Development Technician
- Ammonia Technician
- Nitric Acid Plant Operator
- Hydrogenation Operator
- Machine Operator
Is There Going to be Demand for Chemical Plant and System Operators?
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.
Chemical Plant or System Operator Average Salary
Chemical Plant and System Operators make between $34,830 and $88,630 a year.
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 & Technology 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 kind of Chemical Plant or System Operator requirements are there?
How many years of work experience do I need?
Where do Chemical Plant and System Operators Work?
The table below shows the approximate number of Chemical Plant and System Operators employed by various 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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