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Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders

ManufacturingO*NET 51-9011.00United States

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.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning
Median annual earnings
$57,989

50th percentile, United States

Projected change
+7.2%

2025 to 2035

Typical education
High school diploma or less

50.6% of the workforce

Employment
140.81K jobs

Growing to 150.94K by 2035

Explore this career by location

Compare nationwide estimates with state or county job-market data.

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Build the skills

ASU learning related to this career

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

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The work

What chemical equipment operators and tenders do

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

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Draw samples of products at specified stages so that analyses can be performed.
  • Monitor gauges, recording instruments, flowmeters, or products to ensure that specified conditions are maintained.
  • Inspect equipment or units to detect leaks or malfunctions, shutting equipment down, if necessary.
  • Test product samples for specific gravity, chemical characteristics, pH levels, concentrations, or viscosities, or send them to laboratories for testing.
  • Open valves or start pumps, agitators, reactors, blowers, or automatic feed of materials.
  • Read plant specifications to determine products, ingredients, or prescribed modifications of plant procedures.
  • Implement appropriate industrial emergency response procedures.
  • Measure, weigh, and mix chemical ingredients, according to specifications.
  • Notify maintenance engineers of equipment malfunctions.
  • Dump or scoop prescribed solid, granular, or powdered materials into equipment.
  • Add treating or neutralizing agents to products, and pump products through filters or centrifuges to remove impurities or to precipitate products.
  • Estimate materials required for production and manufacturing of products.
  • Observe and compare colors and consistencies of products to instrument readings and to laboratory and standard test results.
  • Drain equipment, and pump water or other solutions through to flush and clean tanks or equipment.
  • Direct activities of workers assisting in control or verification of processes or in unloading of materials.
  • Flush or clean equipment, using steam hoses or mechanical reamers.
  • Make minor repairs, lubricate, and maintain equipment, using hand tools.
  • Inventory supplies received and consumed.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile
$37,384
25th percentile
$45,916
50th percentile
$57,989
75th percentile
$74,130
90th percentile
$92,620

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $57,989 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

+7.2%faster than average
2025140,807 jobs
2035 projected150,943 jobs

10,136 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
50.6%
Some college
20.6%
Certificate
13.5%
Associate degree
13.5%
Bachelor's degree
1.8%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

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

  • Lifting Ability
  • Forklift Truck
  • Housekeeping
  • Personal Protective Equipment
  • Standard Operating Procedure
  • Packaging And Labeling
  • Machinery
  • General Mathematics
  • Good Manufacturing Practices
  • Mechanical Aptitude
  • Loading And Unloading
  • Continuous Improvement Process
  • Valves (Piping)
  • Environment Health And Safety
  • Production Equipment
  • Production Process
  • Hand Tools
  • SAP Applications
  • Safety Procedures
  • Auditing

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.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
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.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Quality Control Analysis
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Troubleshooting
Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Mathematics
Using mathematics to solve problems.
Systems Analysis
Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Equipment Maintenance
Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

  1. 01Chemical Operators1,593 postings
  2. 02Operators871 postings
  3. 03Technicians321 postings
  4. 04Battery Technicians309 postings
  5. 05OTR Owner-Operator CDL-A Truck Drivers291 postings
  6. 06Operations Technicians215 postings
  7. 07Lease Operators127 postings
  8. 08Career Coordinators104 postings
  9. 09Individualized Care Coordinators101 postings
  10. 10Operator Technicians90 postings
  11. 11Technician Assistants90 postings
  12. 12Quality Control Operators87 postings
  13. 13Blender Operators82 postings
  14. 14Lead Technicians81 postings
  15. 15Cleanroom Technicians75 postings
  16. 16Operations and Management Technicians71 postings
  17. 17Production Coordinators69 postings
  18. 18Refinery Operators64 postings
  19. 19Dryer Operators61 postings
  20. 20Lead Operators58 postings

Top employers

  1. 01Aerotek372 postings
  2. 02Trimac Transportation323 postings
  3. 03Cardinal Health257 postings
  4. 04Job Talent124 postings
  5. 05ManpowerGroup111 postings
  6. 06Actalent110 postings
  7. 07Veolia79 postings
  8. 08Transdev75 postings
  9. 09Kelly Services74 postings
  10. 10Danos69 postings
  11. 11Grifols63 postings
  12. 12Perdue55 postings
  13. 13Ohio State University51 postings
  14. 14Advansix37 postings
  15. 15Arkema36 postings
  16. 16Linde36 postings
  17. 17Cargill32 postings
  18. 18Entegris32 postings
  19. 19Niagara Bottling31 postings
  20. 20Merck KGaA Darmstadt Germany29 postings

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