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Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders
Operate or tend equipment to control chemical changes or reactions in the processing of industrial or consumer products. Equipment used includes devulcanizers, steam-jacketed kettles, and reactor vessels.
Other titles employers use
Chemical Operator · Chlorination Operator · Multiskill Operator · Outside Operator · Process Operator · Spray Dry Operator · Vessel Operator · Acid Purification Equipment Operator
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Observe safety precautions to prevent fires or explosions.
- Record operational data, such as temperatures, pressures, ingredients used, processing times, or test results.
- Control or operate equipment in which chemical changes or reactions take place during the processing of industrial or consumer products.
- Patrol work areas to detect leaks or equipment malfunctions or to monitor operating conditions.
- Draw samples of products at specified stages so that analyses can be performed.
- Adjust controls to regulate temperature, pressure, feed, or flow of liquids or gases and times of prescribed reactions, according to knowledge of equipment and processes.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to practical, organizing and analytical work.
- Practical
- Building, repairing, using tools, or working outdoors
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
- Analytical
- Investigating questions, testing ideas, and solving problems
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Operations Monitoring
- Operation and Control
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
Subjects to know
- Production and Processing
- Chemistry
- Mechanical
- Computers and Electronics
- English Language
Useful strengths
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Problem Sensitivity
- Control Precision
- Near Vision
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 3.0 | Shared rooms, but not shoulder to shoulder |
| On your feet | 3.7 | Up and down through the day |
| Talking face to face | 4.7 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 3.7 | Some of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a high school diploma. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- High school or less 51%
- A certificate or some college 34%
- A two-year degree 13%
- A four-year degree 2%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Electronic mail software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Presentation software
- Word processing software
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- Data base user interface and query software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 12,190
- Job openings each year
- 1,120
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- —
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 12,190 | 1,120 | — |
| New Jersey | 9,810 | 900 | −2.0% |
| Ohio | 7,460 | 670 | −4.8% |
| North Carolina | 5,800 | 530 | −1.0% |
| Pennsylvania | 5,380 | 480 | −5.6% |
| California | 5,000 | 460 | — |
| Tennessee | 5,000 | 460 | −1.6% |
| Illinois | 4,760 | 440 | −2.1% |
| Michigan | 4,330 | 380 | −6.7% |
| Georgia | 4,280 | 410 | 6.7% |
| South Carolina | 4,090 | 370 | −2.6% |
| Florida | 4,010 | 370 | −1.7% |
| Louisiana | 3,520 | 340 | 5.1% |
| Indiana | 3,150 | 290 | −1.9% |
| New York | 2,830 | 0 | −14.2% |
| Kentucky | 2,690 | 240 | −5.3% |
| Alabama | 2,490 | 230 | — |
| Wisconsin | 2,450 | 240 | 10.4% |
| Puerto Rico | 2,260 | 200 | −5.0% |
| Arizona | 1,880 | 190 | 14.6% |
| Minnesota | 1,570 | 150 | −1.3% |
| Utah | 1,550 | 150 | 4.0% |
| Missouri | 1,520 | 140 | −1.9% |
| West Virginia | 1,510 | 150 | 9.4% |
| Maryland | 1,470 | 140 | 5.0% |
| Washington | 1,340 | 120 | −2.9% |
| Iowa | 1,100 | 100 | 3.8% |
| Nebraska | 1,100 | 100 | — |
| Mississippi | 1,090 | 100 | 4.8% |
| Kansas | 1,000 | 90 | −1.0% |
| Oklahoma | 950 | 90 | −5.0% |
| Arkansas | 940 | 90 | — |
| Virginia | 810 | 70 | −9.0% |
| Colorado | 780 | 70 | −1.3% |
| Connecticut | 730 | 70 | −1.4% |
| Delaware | 730 | 70 | −2.7% |
| Massachusetts | 580 | 50 | −4.9% |
| Oregon | 540 | 50 | 12.5% |
| Wyoming | 360 | 40 | 12.5% |
| Rhode Island | 270 | 20 | −12.9% |
| New Mexico | 230 | 20 | 15.0% |
| Nevada | 200 | 20 | 5.3% |
| South Dakota | 190 | 20 | 5.6% |
| Maine | 140 | 10 | −6.7% |
| North Dakota | 120 | 10 | 20.0% |
| Vermont | 70 | 10 | −12.5% |
| Idaho | 40 | 0 | 33.3% |
Career to college
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Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.