Production
Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders
Also called: Beck Operator, Dye House Worker, Dye Line Operator, Dye Machine Operator
US median pay
$38,180
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
-12.5%
declining
Openings a year (US)
600
5,700 employed
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
Preparation 2/5 · Some preparation
What this job is
Operate or tend machines to bleach, shrink, wash, dye, or finish textiles or synthetic or glass fibers.
What they do day to day
- Weigh ingredients, such as dye, to be mixed together for use in textile processing.
- Start and control machines and equipment to wash, bleach, dye, or otherwise process and finish fabric, yarn, thread, or other textile goods.
- Observe display screens, control panels, equipment, and cloth entering or exiting processes to determine if equipment is operating correctly.
- Notify supervisors or mechanics of equipment malfunctions.
- Monitor factors such as temperatures and dye flow rates to ensure that they are within specified ranges.
- Add dyes, water, detergents, or chemicals to tanks to dilute or strengthen solutions, according to established formulas and solution test results.
- Examine and feel products to identify defects and variations from coloring and other processing standards.
- Adjust equipment controls to maintain specified heat, tension, and speed.
- Soak specified textile products for designated times.
- Inspect machinery to determine necessary adjustments and repairs.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Operations Monitoring3.8/5
- Operation and Control3.4/5
- Time Management3.0/5
- Quality Control Analysis2.9/5
- Judgment and Decision Making2.9/5
- Coordination2.8/5
- Troubleshooting2.6/5
- Social Perceptiveness2.6/5
Knowledge
- Production and Processing3.4/5
- Public Safety and Security2.6/5
- Education and Training2.5/5
- Administration and Management2.5/5
- Customer and Personal Service2.5/5
- Mathematics2.4/5
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.
Highest education of people in this job:
- High school diploma56%
- Less than high school35%
Who this job suits
Mostly Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.