Chemical Plant and System Operators
The occupation Chemical Plant and System Operators covers people who control or operate entire chemical processes or system of machines. One core duty is to monitor recording instruments, flowmeters, panel lights, or other indicators and listen for warning signals to verify conformity of process conditions. The strongest interest signal is Realistic (6.2 of 7), then Conventional (5.2) and Investigative, which gives it the code RCI. Plan on a few months to a year of learning on the job; O*NET labels this some preparation. Strength in operations monitoring, operation and control, and quality control analysis helps most here. People who want hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world usually fit better here than those who need creative work with room for original expression.
What they do
Control or operate entire chemical processes or system of machines.
Main tasks
- 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.
Skills
- Operations Monitoring
- Operation and Control
- Quality Control Analysis
- Monitoring
- Critical Thinking
- Time Management
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
- You like clear rules and getting the details right.
- You want to start work after a short stretch of training.
- You are comfortable relying on operations monitoring and operation and control.
May not suit you if
- You would rather stay away from physical, hands-on tasks.
- You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 1.0 out of 7 here.
- You want a career built on years of advanced study.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code RCI takes the three highest, and Realistic comes first here.
Preparation
Some preparation. Most people start with a high school diploma, then learn from experienced coworkers over a few months to a year.
Also called
- Chemical Operator
- Chemical Plant Operations Technician (Chemical Plan Operations Tech)
- Chemical Plant Production Operator
- Chemical Process Control Operator
- Plant Technician (Plant Tech)
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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.