Will “Operator” be Replaced By Robots? 🤔

85% Chance of Automation

“Operator” will probably be replaced by robots.

This job is ranked #487 out of #702. A higher ranking (i.e., a lower number) means the job is less likely to be replaced.

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Job Description

Control or operate entire chemical processes or system of machines.

Job Details

The SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code is 51-8091.00
The Mean Annual Wage in the U.S. is $ 59,430.00
The Mean Hourly Wage is $ 28.00
Currently, there are 33,300 people on this job

☝️ Information based on the reference occupation “Chemical Plant and System Operators”.

Also Known As…

Tasks for “Operator”

Patrol work areas to ensure that solutions in tanks or troughs are not in danger of overflowing.
Interpret chemical reactions visible through sight glasses or on television monitors and review laboratory test reports for process adjustments.
Defrost frozen valves, using steam hoses.
Monitor recording instruments, flowmeters, panel lights, or other indicators and listen for warning signals, to verify conformity of process conditions.
Supervise the cleaning of towers, strainers, or spray tips.
Confer with technical and supervisory personnel to report or resolve conditions affecting safety, efficiency, or product quality.
Direct workers engaged in operating machinery that regulates the flow of materials and products.
Repair or replace damaged equipment.
Regulate or shut down equipment during emergency situations, as directed by supervisory personnel.
Draw samples of products and conduct quality control tests to monitor processing and to ensure that standards are met.
Move control settings to make necessary adjustments on equipment units affecting speeds of chemical reactions, quality, or yields.
Calculate material requirements or yields according to formulas.
Turn valves to regulate flow of products or byproducts through agitator tanks, storage drums, or neutralizer tanks.
Control or operate chemical processes or systems of machines, using panelboards, control boards, or semi-automatic equipment.
Notify maintenance, stationary-engineering, or other auxiliary personnel to correct equipment malfunctions or to adjust power, steam, water, or air supplies.
Inspect operating units, such as towers, soap-spray storage tanks, scrubbers, collectors, or driers to ensure that all are functioning and to maintain maximum efficiency.
Record operating data, such as process conditions, test results, or instrument readings.
Gauge tank levels, using calibrated rods.
Start pumps to wash and rinse reactor vessels, to exhaust gases or vapors, to regulate the flow of oil, steam, air, or perfume to towers, or to add products to converter or blending vessels.

Related Technology & Tools

Mixing tanks
Pressure gauges
Reciprocating compressors
Thermocouples
Panelboards
Centrifugal compressors
Storage drums
Neutralizer tanks
Hydraulic accumulators
Belt conveyors
Control boards
Steam hoses
Industrial dryers
Reciprocating pumps
Boilers
Chain conveyors
Viscometers
Calibrated rods
Rotary pumps
Agitator tanks
Centrifugal fans
Industrial liquid flowmeters
Hoppers
Distillation columns
Fire extinguishers
Steam turbines
Centrifugal pumps
Personal protective equipment
Barometers
Bourdon tubes
Axial flow fans
Soap-spray storage tanks
Humidifiers
Collectors
Chemical reactor vessels
Capacitance probes
Conveyor feeders
Display screens
Radiographic detecting instruments
Tensometers
Gas analyzers
Silencers
Manometers
Screw conveyors
Industrial fans
Blending vessels
Panel lights
Recording calorimeters
Desktop computers
Effluent treatment systems
Wet scrubbers
Bucket elevators
Digital surface thermometers
Air conditioning systems
Positive displacement pumps
Thermocouple temperature probes
Cooling towers
Heating vessels
Refrigeration systems
Converter vessels

Coordinated incident management system CIMS software
Alarm management system software
Distributed control system DCS
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Office
Microsoft Word
Interlock shutdown systems