What You'll Do

  • Move control settings to make necessary adjustments on equipment units affecting speeds of chemical reactions, quality, or yields.
  • Monitor recording instruments, flowmeters, panel lights, or other indicators and listen for warning signals to verify conformity of process conditions.
  • Control or operate chemical processes or systems of machines, using panelboards, control boards, or semi-automatic equipment.
  • 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.
  • Draw samples of products and conduct quality control tests to monitor processing and to ensure that standards are met.
  • 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.
  • Interpret chemical reactions visible through sight glasses or on television monitors and review laboratory test reports for process adjustments.
  • Patrol work areas to ensure that solutions in tanks or troughs are not in danger of overflowing.

Essential Skills

Operations Monitoring 4.12/5
Operation and Control 4.0/5
Monitoring 3.62/5
Quality Control Analysis 3.62/5
Critical Thinking 3.5/5
Active Listening 3.38/5
Reading Comprehension 3.25/5
Active Learning 3.25/5
Complex Problem Solving 3.25/5
Judgment and Decision Making 3.25/5
Time Management 3.25/5
Speaking 3.12/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to sense whether the day to day rhythm and focus of this path line up with what energizes you.

Top passions

  • Maker: Building and fixing energizes you. You like tangible results and practical tools.
  • Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.
  • Analyst: Investigating problems and finding patterns keeps you engaged.

Common styles

Dependability, Attention to Detail, Integrity, Stress Tolerance, Analytical Thinking

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Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Problem Sensitivity 3.75/5
Selective Attention 3.75/5
Near Vision 3.75/5
Oral Comprehension 3.62/5
Oral Expression 3.62/5
Deductive Reasoning 3.62/5
Information Ordering 3.5/5
Perceptual Speed 3.5/5

Technologies & Tools

Alarm management system software Coordinated incident management system CIMS software Distributed control system DCS Interlock shutdown systems Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Word

Work Environment & Style

Common Styles for This Career

  • Dependability (High importance: 4.55/5)
  • Attention to Detail (High importance: 4.31/5)
  • Integrity (High importance: 4.29/5)
  • Stress Tolerance (High importance: 4.03/5)
  • Analytical Thinking (High importance: 3.7/5)

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How to Become One

Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful but is usually not required. Training is often provided on the job.

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Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

Ammonia Still Operator Ammonia Technician Badger Distiller Operator Bucket Wash Operator Chemical Operator Chemical Plant Operator Chemical Process Operator Chemical Production Operator Chemical Treatment Plant Technician Denitrator Front Wash Operator Furnace Plant Operator Furnace Process Plant Operator Furnace Utility Operator Hydrogenation Operator Loader Technician Naphtha Washing System Operator Nitric Acid Plant Operator Nitrogen Operator Pharmaceutical Development Technician Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Machine Operator Pharmaceutical Operator Plant Associate Pressure Controller Process Control Operator Process Development Associate Process Operator Process Technician Processing Operator Processing Technician (Processing Tech) Production Operator Production Technician Sterile Processing Technician (Sterile Processing Tech) Tower Operator Utilities Operator Utility Operator Wash Operator