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What does a control operator do?

Updated January 8, 2025
7 min read
What does a control operator do

The duties of a control operator depend on their line of work or industry of employment. Typically, it includes adhering to a set of protocols, controlling machines and equipment, identifying the needs of daily operations, and performing regular maintenance checks, conducting repairs when necessary. There are also instances where they must produce progress reports, address and resolve issues, and implement solutions. Furthermore, as a control operator, it is essential to maintain an active communication line with fellow employees, coordinating every step of the way for a safe and efficient workflow.

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Control operator responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real control operator resumes:

  • Manage day to day processing of accounts receivable and payable using QuickBooks, producing reports as needed.
  • Manage all financial activities including financial reporting, general accounting, budgeting, cost accounting, A/R, A/P.
  • Manage, analyze, and prepare period- and year-end documentation, ensuring generally accept accounting principles (GAAP) adherence.
  • Manage logistics to increase shipping efficiency and reduce transportation costs.
  • Manage business unit income statements, product-line contribution margin reporting and absorption analysis.
  • Coordinate and manage annual physical inventory as well as inventory valuation in accordance with Canadian GAAP.
  • Investigate and resolve open A/R issues.
  • Replace html elements with directive to make reusable.
  • Load and unload castings and raw materials in CNC machinery.
  • Validate liquid medical oxygen and nitrogen daily as per FDA protocols.
  • Verify loads by using RF scanners to scan paperwork for correct shipments.
  • Monitor and adjust the SCADA system for drinking water distribution via schematic system.
  • Input potassium sulfate into compactor & dryers to make a granulate crop duster.
  • Used a RF gun to return and locate are soup is in the warehouse.
  • Liaise with agencies, institutions; and coordinate external audits and work with external CPA.

Control operator skills and personality traits

We calculated that 11% of Control Operators are proficient in Customer Service, Safety Procedures, and Payroll. They’re also known for soft skills such as Computer skills, Physical strength, and Customer-service skills.

We break down the percentage of Control Operators that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Customer Service, 11%

    Demonstrated continuous effort to improved operations, decreased turnaround times, worked cooperatively and jointly to provide quality seamless customer service.

  • Safety Procedures, 7%

    Led cross-functional team of ten military personnel managing emergency staff through equipment safety procedures.

  • Payroll, 6%

    Performed all state reporting/licensing requirements, human resource, payroll, insurance and foreign cash requirements forecasting.

  • Financial Reports, 4%

    Worked closely with financial reporting team to balance accounts and provide accurate and timely financial reports to senior management.

  • CPA, 4%

    Worked for various CPA firms ranging in size from 3 associates to international firms both in Iowa and California.

  • Logistics, 4%

    Provided instruction, supervision and evaluation of 30 personnel ranging from logistics to electronic maintenance support.

Common skills that a control operator uses to do their job include "customer service," "safety procedures," and "payroll." You can find details on the most important control operator responsibilities below.

Computer skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a control operator to have is computer skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "metal and plastic machine workers often must be able to use programmable devices, computers, and robots on the factory floor." Control operators often use computer skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "designed and implemented of leading edge erp technology with computer programmer and effected $ 100,000 annualized saving. "

Physical strength. Many control operator duties rely on physical strength. "metal and plastic machine workers must be strong enough to guide and load heavy and bulky parts and materials into machines.," so a control operator will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways control operator responsibilities rely on physical strength: "coordinated and managed annual physical inventory as well as inventory valuation in accordance with canadian gaap. "

Dexterity. A big part of what control operators do relies on "dexterity." You can see how essential it is to control operator responsibilities because "metal and plastic machine workers who work in metal and plastic machined goods manufacturing use precise hand movements to make the necessary shapes, cuts, and edges that designs require." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical control operator tasks: "control room operator, supervision, starch machine, forklift, shipping, refuse machine"

Mechanical skills. A commonly-found skill in control operator job descriptions, "mechanical skills" is essential to what control operators do. Control operator responsibilities rely on this skill because "metal and plastic machine workers set up and operate machinery." You can also see how control operator duties rely on mechanical skills in this resume example: "team lead on transitioning and training global test engineering into agile plm for software/mechanical bom and lifecycle control. "

All control operator skills

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Compare different control operators

Control operator vs. Accounting manager/controller

An accounting manager/controller is responsible for spearheading and overseeing the daily operations in a company's accounting department. They monitor the company's budgets, including its costs and expenditures, and produce financial reports. It is also their duty to establish objectives and guidelines, manage accounting staff, monitor financial activities, review and assess financial statements, approve expenditures, and resolve issues promptly and efficiently. Furthermore, as an accounting manager/controller, it is essential to lead and encourage the workforce to reach goals, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.

If we compare the average control operator annual salary with that of an accounting manager/controller, we find that accounting managers/controller typically earn a $51,088 higher salary than control operators make annually.While the two careers have a salary gap, they share some of the same responsibilities. Employees in both control operator and accounting manager/controller positions are skilled in financial reports, cpa, and human resources.

There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, control operator responsibilities require skills like "customer service," "safety procedures," "payroll," and "logistics." Meanwhile a typical accounting manager/controller has skills in areas such as "reconciliations," "cash management," "payroll taxes," and "general ledger accounts." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.

Accounting managers/controller tend to make the most money working in the technology industry, where they earn an average salary of $89,839. In contrast, control operators make the biggest average salary, $47,698, in the energy industry.accounting managers/controller tend to reach similar levels of education than control operators. In fact, accounting managers/controller are 2.3% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.

Control operator vs. Grinding machine operator

Grinding machine operator positions earn lower pay than control operator roles. They earn a $5,597 lower salary than control operators per year.

Each career also uses different skills, according to real control operator resumes. While control operator responsibilities can utilize skills like "customer service," "safety procedures," "payroll," and "financial reports," grinding machine operators use skills like "grinders," "grinding wheels," "micrometers," and "cnc."

Grinding machine operators may earn a lower salary than control operators, but grinding machine operators earn the most pay in the technology industry with an average salary of $40,910. On the other hand, control operators receive higher pay in the energy industry, where they earn an average salary of $47,698.grinding machine operators earn lower levels of education than control operators in general. They're 10.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Control operator vs. Milling machine operator

On average scale, milling machine operators bring in lower salaries than control operators. In fact, they earn a $8,791 lower salary per year.By looking over several control operators and milling machine operators resumes, we found that both roles require similar skills in their day-to-day duties, such as "safety procedures," "troubleshoot," and "computer system." But beyond that, the careers look very different.

There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a control operator is likely to be skilled in "customer service," "payroll," "financial reports," and "cpa," while a typical milling machine operator is skilled in "asphalt," "cnc," "micrometers," and "calipers."

Most milling machine operators achieve a lower degree level compared to control operators. For example, they're 7.6% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Control operator vs. Fabric machine operator

Fabric machine operators tend to earn a lower pay than control operators by an average of $6,931 per year.

Even though a few skill sets overlap between control operators and fabric machine operators, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a control operator might have more use for skills like "customer service," "safety procedures," "payroll," and "financial reports." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of fabric machine operators require skills like "hand tools," "math," "tape measure," and "basic math. "

The technology industry tends to pay the highest salaries for fabric machine operators, with average annual pay of $40,125. Comparatively, the highest control operator annual salary comes from the energy industry.In general, fabric machine operators hold lower degree levels compared to control operators. Fabric machine operators are 10.3% less likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.3% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of control operator

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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