What You'll Do

  • Position deflector bars, gates, chutes, or spouts to divert flow of materials from one conveyor onto another conveyor.
  • Weigh or measure materials and products, using scales or other measuring instruments, or read scales on conveyors that continually weigh products, to verify specified tonnages and prevent overloads.
  • Manipulate controls, levers, and valves to start pumps, auxiliary equipment, or conveyors, and to adjust equipment positions, speeds, timing, and material flows.
  • Record production data such as weights, types, quantities, and storage locations of materials, as well as equipment performance problems and downtime.
  • Inform supervisors of equipment malfunctions that need to be addressed.
  • Clean, sterilize, and maintain equipment, machinery, and work stations, using hand tools, shovels, brooms, chemicals, hoses, and lubricants.
  • Observe conveyor operations and monitor lights, dials, and gauges to maintain specified operating levels and to detect equipment malfunctions.
  • Read production and delivery schedules, and confer with supervisors, to determine sorting and transfer procedures, arrangement of packages on pallets, and destinations of loaded pallets.
  • Repair or replace equipment components or parts such as blades, rolls, and pumps.
  • Contact workers in work stations or other departments to request movement of materials, products, or machinery, or to notify them of incoming shipments and their estimated delivery times.

Essential Skills

Operations Monitoring 4.0/5
Operation and Control 4.0/5
Monitoring 3.38/5
Active Listening 3.12/5
Speaking 3.0/5
Critical Thinking 3.0/5
Complex Problem Solving 3.0/5
Reading Comprehension 2.88/5
Troubleshooting 2.88/5
Quality Control Analysis 2.88/5
Judgment and Decision Making 2.88/5
Time Management 2.88/5

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.
  • Leader: Taking charge and moving ideas forward motivates you.

Common styles

Dependability, Self-Control, Concern for Others, Cooperation, Attention to Detail

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Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Oral Comprehension 3.75/5
Control Precision 3.75/5
Problem Sensitivity 3.62/5
Oral Expression 3.5/5
Deductive Reasoning 3.5/5
Inductive Reasoning 3.38/5
Multilimb Coordination 3.38/5
Perceptual Speed 3.25/5

Technologies & Tools

Control system software Conveyor control software Intelligrated InControlWare Microsoft Excel Microsoft Windows SAP software Sortation software

Work Environment & Style

Common Styles for This Career

  • Dependability (High importance: 4.47/5)
  • Self-Control (High importance: 4.33/5)
  • Concern for Others (High importance: 4.28/5)
  • Cooperation (High importance: 4.26/5)
  • Attention to Detail (High importance: 4.19/5)

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How to Become One

Little or no previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for this career. Training is 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:

Aerial Tram Operator Ash Conveyor Operator Assembly Line Tender Bed Operator Belt Operator Belt Technician (Belt Tech) Belt Tender Beltman Bin Tripper Operator Boom Conveyor Operator Brick Unloader Tender Bull-Chain Operator Cement Loader Chain Puller Char Conveyor Tender Chip Bin Conveyor Tender Chip Bin Operator Chip Loft Worker Chip Unloader Chipper Operator Coke Loader Console Attendant Conveyer Technician Conveyor Attendant Conveyor Belt Operator Conveyor Console Operator Conveyor System Dispatcher Conveyor System Operator Conveyor Technician Conveyor Tender Cooker Loader Debarker Operator Drier Take-Off Tender Elevator Operator Extrusion Operator Flumer Grain Elevator Operator Grain Loader Line Operator Machine Operator Mechanical Conveyor Installer Milled Rubber Tender Package Line Operator Packaging Line Operator Packing Line Operator Palletizer Operator Pneumatic System Conveyor Operator Process Operator Process Technician Production Supply Equipment Tender Shipping Technician Silo Operator Silo Tender Sinter Feeder Spout Tender Stacker Tender Strapper Operator Tip-Out Worker Tipple Operator Tipple Tender Transfer Operator Unscrambler