Chemical Plant and System Operators
Control or operate entire chemical processes or system of machines.
Also called: Chemical Operator · Loader Technician · Process Control Operator · Process Development Associate · Process Operator · Process Technician
Median pay (national)
$73,540
$48,000–$107,790 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
17,840
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
-6.1%
~1,600 openings/yr
Typical entry
High school diploma or equivalent
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for chemical plant and system operators shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $107,790 versus $48,000 at the bottom 10% — 2.2x. The median of $73,540 leaves roughly 47% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change -6.1% from 2024 to 2034 — a projected decline, against +3% across all occupations. Even so, BLS projects about 1,600 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 36 states with released data, North Dakota pays the most for this role (median $112,970, +54% vs the national median), while Arkansas sits lowest at $46,130 — a 145% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Monitoring, Critical Thinking, Active Listening as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software as in-demand technologies for this role.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Monitoring
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Learning
- Speaking
- Writing
- Science
- Learning Strategies
- Mathematics
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Inspect operating units, such as towers, soap-spray storage tanks, scrubbers, collectors, or driers to ensure that all are functioning and to maintain maximum efficiency.
- Draw samples of products and conduct quality control tests to monitor processing and to ensure that standards are met.
- Patrol work areas to ensure that solutions in tanks or troughs are not in danger of overflowing.
- Turn valves to regulate flow of products or byproducts through agitator tanks, storage drums, or neutralizer tanks.
- Monitor recording instruments, flowmeters, panel lights, or other indicators and listen for warning signals to verify conformity of process conditions.
- Regulate or shut down equipment during emergency situations, as directed by supervisory personnel.
- Control or operate chemical processes or systems of machines, using panelboards, control boards, or semi-automatic equipment.
- Move control settings to make necessary adjustments on equipment units affecting speeds of chemical reactions, quality, or yields.
- Record operating data, such as process conditions, test results, or instrument readings.
- Confer with technical and supervisory personnel to report or resolve conditions affecting safety, efficiency, or product quality.
Tools & technology
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Alarm management system software
- Coordinated incident management system CIMS software
- Distributed control system DCS
- Interlock shutdown systems
- Microsoft Word
Knowledge areas
- Production and Processing
- Chemistry
- Mechanical
- English Language
- Public Safety and Security
- Customer and Personal Service
- Mathematics
- Education and Training