Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders
ManufacturingO*NET 51-6061.00United States
Operate or tend machines to bleach, shrink, wash, dye, or finish textiles or synthetic or glass fibers.
- Median annual earnings
- $38,189
- Projected change
- −14.1%
- Typical education
- High school diploma or less
- Employment
- 6.13K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
91.3% of the workforce
Growing to 5.26K by 2035
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The work
What textile bleaching and dyeing machine operators and tenders do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- Weigh ingredients, such as dye, to be mixed together for use in textile processing.
- Start and control machines and equipment to wash, bleach, dye, or otherwise process and finish fabric, yarn, thread, or other textile goods.
- Observe display screens, control panels, equipment, and cloth entering or exiting processes to determine if equipment is operating correctly.
- Add dyes, water, detergents, or chemicals to tanks to dilute or strengthen solutions, according to established formulas and solution test results.
- Notify supervisors or mechanics of equipment malfunctions.
- Monitor factors such as temperatures and dye flow rates to ensure that they are within specified ranges.
- Adjust equipment controls to maintain specified heat, tension, and speed.
- Examine and feel products to identify defects and variations from coloring and other processing standards.
- Soak specified textile products for designated times.
- Confer with coworkers to get information about order details, processing plans, or problems that occur.
- Inspect machinery to determine necessary adjustments and repairs.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $30,306
- 25th percentile
- $35,693
- 50th percentile
- $38,189
- 75th percentile
- $45,282
- 90th percentile
- $48,090
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $38,189 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
−14.1%projected to decline
20256,129 jobs
2035 projected5,263 jobs
866 fewer 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
- 91.3%
- Associate degree
- 6.4%
- Some college
- 2.3%
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.
- 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.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Quality Control Analysis
- Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- 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.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Troubleshooting
- Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Equipment Maintenance
- Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Mathematics
- Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Repairing
- Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
- Equipment Selection
- Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Water Jet Operators68 postings
- 02Machine Operators5 postings
- 03Dyers2 postings
- 04Range Officers1 postings
- 05Shipfitters1 postings
- 06Welders/Fitters/Fabricators1 postings
Top employers
- 01The Reserves Network3 postings
- 02ASR Staffing Solutions2 postings
- 03E-Quip Manufacturing2 postings
- 04Express Employment Professionals2 postings
- 05Fastemps2 postings
- 06Noble Staffing Solutions2 postings
- 07Opti Staffing Group2 postings
- 08Source One Staffing2 postings
- 09West Coast Waterjet2 postings
- 10Accurate Tooling Solutions1 postings
- 11Advanced Industrial Services1 postings
- 12Aerospace Alloys1 postings
- 13Aerotech Coatings1 postings
- 14Airpark Signs And Graphics1 postings
- 15American Cord & Webbing1 postings
- 16American Custom Metal Fabricating1 postings
- 17Ats1 postings
- 18Ats Automation1 postings
- 19Aurora Machine1 postings
- 20Baird & Wilson Sheetmetal1 postings
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