Production
Chemical Plant and System Operators
Also called: Chemical Operator, Chemical Plant Operations Technician (Chemical Plan Operations Tech), Chemical Plant Production Operator, Chemical Process Control Operator
US median pay
$78,120
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
-5.2%
declining
Openings a year (US)
1,300
16,700 employed
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
Preparation 2/5 · Some preparation
What this job is
Control or operate entire chemical processes or system of machines.
What they do day to day
- 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.
- Record operating data, such as process conditions, test results, or instrument readings.
- Control or operate chemical processes or systems of machines, using panelboards, control boards, or semi-automatic equipment.
- Patrol work areas to ensure that solutions in tanks or troughs are not in danger of overflowing.
- Regulate or shut down equipment during emergency situations, as directed by supervisory personnel.
- 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.
- Turn valves to regulate flow of products or byproducts through agitator tanks, storage drums, or neutralizer tanks.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Operations Monitoring4.2/5
- Operation and Control4.0/5
- Quality Control Analysis3.8/5
- Time Management3.1/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.0/5
- Troubleshooting2.9/5
- Repairing2.9/5
Knowledge
- Mechanical4.3/5
- Chemistry4.3/5
- Mathematics4.3/5
- Production and Processing3.8/5
- Physics3.7/5
- Public Safety and Security3.6/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 2 of 5 — Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma; some previous work experience or training helps.
Typical entry education (BLS): High school diploma or equivalent.
Who this job suits
Mostly Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Investigative
Ideas, research and solving problems
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.