Distillation operator vs assistant operator

The differences between distillation operators and assistant operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a distillation operator, becoming an assistant operator takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a distillation operator has an average salary of $39,855, which is higher than the $37,607 average annual salary of an assistant operator.

The top three skills for a distillation operator include distillation, hazardous waste and process equipment. The most important skills for an assistant operator are customer service, ladders, and safety procedures.

Distillation operator vs assistant operator overview

	Distillation Operator	Assistant Operator
Yearly salary	$39,855	$37,607
Hourly rate	$19.16	$18.08
Growth rate	7%	-8%
Number of jobs	30,452	88,093
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 26%	Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Average age	47	50
Years of experience	6	2

Distillation operator vs assistant operator salary

Distillation operators and assistant operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Distillation Operator	Assistant Operator
Average salary	$39,855	$37,607
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $59,000	Between $28,000 And $50,000
Highest paying City	-	San Jose, CA
Highest paying state	-	Connecticut
Best paying company	-	Massachusetts General Hospital
Best paying industry	-	Energy

Differences between distillation operator and assistant operator education

There are a few differences between a distillation operator and an assistant operator in terms of educational background:

	Distillation Operator	Assistant Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 26%	Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Most common major	Graphic Design	Business
Most common college	SUNY College of Technology at Alfred	Western Carolina University

Distillation operator vs assistant operator demographics

Here are the differences between distillation operators' and assistant operators' demographics:

	Distillation Operator	Assistant Operator
Average age	47	50
Gender ratio	Male, 93.2% Female, 6.8%	Male, 76.8% Female, 23.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 21.1% Asian, 4.3% White, 59.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 3.8% White, 66.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	11%	6%

Differences between distillation operator and assistant operator duties and responsibilities

Distillation operator example responsibilities.

Help lead the rehabilitation of an idle distillation tower and bring it back to a fully functional operation.
Operate a cold gas distillation column converting waste gas into usable material by separating materials and reacting with caustic.
Conduct routine operating inspections of the unit, troubleshoot operational problems and respond to area emergencies or to changing operational situations.
Perform Lockout/tagout procedures to ensure ADM and contractors safety.
Conduct rig movements during drilling operations.

Assistant operator example responsibilities.

Manage proper removal and allocation for full yarn spindles.
Manage the master calendar and schedule resources such as communication equipment, weapons, transportation and ammunition forecast and delivery.
Maintain current MSHA training requirements.
Coordinate special movement of ISO tanks.
Certify in MSHA hard-rock mine safety.
Maintain spinning/winding machines by putting idle spindles and cones back into production.

Distillation operator vs assistant operator skills

Common distillation operator skills

Distillation, 63%
Hazardous Waste, 11%
Process Equipment, 7%
GC, 4%
RAN, 4%
PLC, 4%

Common assistant operator skills

Customer Service, 28%
Ladders, 11%
Safety Procedures, 9%
Safety Committee, 6%
Quality Checks, 6%
PPE, 5%

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Distillation Operator
Distillation Operator vs Assistant Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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