Details Report for:
51-8091.00 - Chemical Plant and System Operators
Control or operate entire chemical processes or system of machines.
Sample of reported job titles: Chemical Operator, Loader Technician, Process Control Operator, Process Development Associate, Process Operator, Process Technician, Production Technician
Tasks | Technology Skills | Tools Used | Knowledge | Skills | Abilities | Work Activities | Detailed Work Activities | Work Context | Job Zone | Education | Credentials | Interests | Work Styles | Work Values | Related Occupations | Wages & Employment | Job Openings | Additional Information
Tasks Save Table (XLS/CSV)
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Category | Task |
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94 ![]() ![]() |
Core | |
93 ![]() ![]() |
Core | |
92 ![]() ![]() |
Core | |
91 ![]() ![]() |
Core | |
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Core | |
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Core | |
86 ![]() ![]() |
Core | |
86 ![]() ![]() |
Core | |
83 ![]() ![]() |
Core | |
86 ![]() ![]() |
Supplemental | |
85 ![]() ![]() |
Supplemental | |
81 ![]() ![]() |
Supplemental | |
72 ![]() ![]() |
Supplemental | |
70 ![]() ![]() |
Supplemental |
Technology Skills Save Table (XLS/CSV)
- Industrial control software — Alarm management system software; Distributed control system DCS; Interlock shutdown systems
- Network security or virtual private network VPN management software — Coordinated incident management system CIMS software
- Office suite software — Microsoft Office
- Spreadsheet software — Microsoft Excel
- Word processing software — Microsoft Word
Hot Technology — a technology requirement frequently included in employer job postings.
Tools Used Save Table (XLS/CSV)
- Air conditioners — Air conditioning systems
- Air dryers — Industrial dryers
- Barometers
- Belt conveyors
- Bucket conveyors — Bucket elevators
- Calorimeters — Recording calorimeters
- Capacitance meters — Capacitance probes
- Cathode ray tube CRT monitors — Display screens
- Centrifugal compressors
- Centrifugal pumps
- Chain conveyors
- Chemical absorption gas analyzers — Gas analyzers
- Chemical tanks — Blending vessels; Chemical reactor vessels; Converter vessels
- Collection tanks — Collectors
- Conveyor feeders
- Desktop computers
- Distillation pipings or columns or fittings — Distillation columns
- Distribution or control board fixtures — Control boards; Panel lights; Panelboards
- Evaporative coolers — Cooling towers
- Fans — Axial flow fans; Centrifugal fans; Industrial fans
- Fire extinguishers
- Flowmeters — Industrial liquid flowmeters
- Hazardous material protective apparel — Personal protective equipment
- Heating or drying equipment or accessories — Heating vessels
- Humidifiers
- Hydraulic accumulators
- Logging instruments for water wells — Calibrated rods
- Manometers
- Packaged water treatment systems — Effluent treatment systems
- Positive displacement pumps
- Pressure sensors — Bourdon tubes; Pressure gauges
- Processing tanks — Agitator tanks; Hoppers; Mixing tanks; Neutralizer tanks
- Radiation detectors — Radiographic detecting instruments
- Reciprocating compressors
- Reciprocating pumps
- Refrigerated tanks — Refrigeration systems
- Rotary pumps
- Screw conveyor — Screw conveyors
- Silencer sections — Silencers
- Special hoses — Steam hoses
- Steam engines — Steam turbines
- Storage tanks — Soap-spray storage tanks; Storage drums
- Surface thermometers — Digital surface thermometers
- Tension testers — Tensometers
- Thermocouple probes — Thermocouple temperature probes
- Thermocouples
- Viscosimeters — Viscometers
- Water tube boiler — Boilers
- Wet scrubbers
Knowledge Save Table (XLS/CSV)
![]() Importance |
Knowledge |
|
---|---|---|
68 ![]() ![]() |
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67 ![]() ![]() |
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66 ![]() ![]() |
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63 ![]() ![]() |
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59 ![]() ![]() |
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16 ![]() ![]() |
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13 ![]() ![]() |
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11 ![]() ![]() |
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11 ![]() ![]() |
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8 ![]() ![]() |
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5 ![]() ![]() |
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5 ![]() ![]() |
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4 ![]() ![]() |
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1 ![]() ![]() |
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1 ![]() ![]() |
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0 ![]() |
Skills Save Table (XLS/CSV)
![]() Importance |
Skill |
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---|---|---|
78 ![]() ![]() |
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75 ![]() ![]() |
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66 ![]() ![]() |
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66 ![]() ![]() |
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63 ![]() ![]() |
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60 ![]() ![]() |
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56 ![]() ![]() |
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28 ![]() ![]() |
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22 ![]() ![]() |
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22 ![]() ![]() |
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19 ![]() ![]() |
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0 ![]() |
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0 ![]() |
Abilities Save Table (XLS/CSV)
Work Activities Save Table (XLS/CSV)
![]() Importance |
Work Activity |
|
---|---|---|
91 ![]() ![]() |
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89 ![]() ![]() |
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84 ![]() ![]() |
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80 ![]() ![]() |
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76 ![]() ![]() |
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76 ![]() ![]() |
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71 ![]() ![]() |
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71 ![]() ![]() |
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68 ![]() ![]() |
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65 ![]() ![]() |
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63 ![]() ![]() |
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54 ![]() ![]() |
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46 ![]() ![]() |
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13 ![]() ![]() |
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11 ![]() ![]() |
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10 ![]() ![]() |
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8 ![]() ![]() |
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8 ![]() ![]() |
Detailed Work Activities Save Table (XLS/CSV)
- Monitor instruments to ensure proper production conditions.
- Operate chemical processing or water treatment systems or equipment.
- Inspect production equipment.
- Collect samples of materials or products for testing.
- Test chemical or physical characteristics of materials or products.
- Monitor equipment fluid levels.
- Adjust equipment controls to regulate flow of production materials or products.
- Record operational or production data.
- Analyze test results.
- Confer with others to resolve production problems or equipment malfunctions.
- Notify others of equipment repair or maintenance needs.
- Operate pumping systems or equipment.
- Estimate material requirements for production.
- Repair production equipment or tools.
- Replace worn equipment components.
- Direct operational or production activities.
Find occupations related to multiple detailed work activities
Work Context Save Table (XLS/CSV)
Job Zone Save Table (XLS/CSV)
Title | Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed |
Education | These occupations usually require a high school diploma. |
Related Experience | Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public. |
Job Training | Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations. |
Job Zone Examples | These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include orderlies, counter and rental clerks, customer service representatives, security guards, upholsterers, and tellers. |
SVP Range | (4.0 to < 6.0) |
Education
Interests Save Table (XLS/CSV)
![]() Occupational Interest |
Interest |
|
---|---|---|
100 ![]() ![]() |
Realistic — Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others. ![]() |
|
45 ![]() ![]() |
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22 ![]() ![]() |
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17 ![]() ![]() |
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6 ![]() ![]() |
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0 ![]() |
Work Styles Save Table (XLS/CSV)
![]() Importance |
Work Style |
|
---|---|---|
89 ![]() ![]() |
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83 ![]() ![]() |
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82 ![]() ![]() |
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76 ![]() ![]() |
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68 ![]() ![]() |
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49 ![]() ![]() |
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43 ![]() ![]() |
Related Occupations Save Table (XLS/CSV)
17-3029.01 | Non-Destructive Testing Specialists |
51-8092.00 | Gas Plant Operators |
51-8093.00 | Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers |
51-9011.00 | Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders |
51-9012.00 | Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders |
51-9021.00 | Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders |
51-9023.00 | Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders |
51-9193.00 | Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders |
53-7071.00 | Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators |
53-7072.00 | Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers ![]() |
Wages & Employment Trends
Median wages (2019) | $30.07 hourly, $62,550 annual |
State wages | |
Local wages | |
Employment (2019) | 29,200 employees |
Projected growth (2019-2029) | ![]() |
Projected job openings (2019-2029) | 2,600 |
State trends | |
Top industries (2019) | Manufacturing (90% employed in this sector)
|
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2019 wage data
and 2019-2029 employment projections
.
"Projected growth" represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2019-2029). "Projected job openings" represent openings due to growth and replacement.
Sources of Additional Information
Disclaimer: Sources are listed to provide additional information on related jobs, specialties, and/or industries. Links to non-DOL Internet sites are provided for your convenience and do not constitute an endorsement.