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”

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

Related Technology & Tools

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

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