Biofuels Processing Technicians

ManufacturingO*NET 51-8099.01United States

Calculate, measure, load, mix, and process refined feedstock with additives in fermentation or reaction process vessels and monitor production process. Perform, and keep records of, plant maintenance, repairs, and safety inspections.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning

Median annual earnings: $62,462
Projected change: +4.1%
Typical education: High school diploma or less
Employment: 15.47K jobs

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ASU learning related to this career

These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.

The work

What biofuels processing technicians do

Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.

Monitor batch, continuous flow, or hybrid biofuels production processes.
Operate valves, pumps, engines, or generators to control and adjust biofuels production.
Collect biofuels samples and perform routine laboratory tests or analyses to assess biofuels quality.
Monitor and record biofuels processing data.
Operate equipment, such as a centrifuge, to extract biofuels products and secondary by-products or reusable fractions.
Process refined feedstock with additives in fermentation or reaction process vessels.
Operate chemical processing equipment for the production of biofuels.
Inspect biofuels plant or processing equipment regularly, recording or reporting damage and mechanical problems.
Monitor and record flow meter performance.
Measure and monitor raw biofuels feedstock.
Preprocess feedstock in preparation for physical, chemical, or biological fuel production processes.
Calculate, measure, load, or mix refined feedstock used in biofuels production.
Monitor stored biofuels products or secondary by-products until reused or transferred to users.
Assess the quality of biofuels additives for reprocessing.
Clean biofuels processing work area, ensuring compliance with safety regulations.
Perform routine maintenance on mechanical, electrical, or electronic equipment or instruments used in the processing of biofuels.
Calibrate liquid flow devices and meters, including fuel, chemical, and water meters.
Rebuild, repair, or replace biofuels processing equipment components.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile: $40,706
25th percentile: $48,901
50th percentile: $62,462
75th percentile: $78,478
90th percentile: $94,557

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $62,462 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

+4.1%average or slower

202515,471 jobs

2035 projected16,099 jobs

628 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.

Preparation

Education levels

What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.

High school diploma or less: 73%
Certificate: 18.1%
Associate degree: 5.7%
Some college: 3.2%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Operations Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Equipment Maintenance: Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Troubleshooting: Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Repairing: Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

Top employers

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