Field laboratory operator vs chemical processor

The differences between field laboratory operators and chemical processors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a field laboratory operator and a chemical processor. Additionally, a field laboratory operator has an average salary of $54,062, which is higher than the $37,953 average annual salary of a chemical processor.

The top three skills for a field laboratory operator include lab equipment, chemistry and safety regulations. The most important skills for a chemical processor are hazardous materials, safety procedures, and OSHA.

Field laboratory operator vs chemical processor overview

	Field Laboratory Operator	Chemical Processor
Yearly salary	$54,062	$37,953
Hourly rate	$25.99	$18.25
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	109,087	8,357
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	High School Diploma, 32%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	2	2

What does a field laboratory operator do?

A field laboratory operator prepares a safe environment setting and checks on the equipment to be used in performing the experiment or procedure. They are responsible for recording results and correcting any discrepancies observed. They also make written reports and maintain and restock resources. They can train and hire laboratory assistants to increase manpower. They must also follow standard protocols and precautions while handling hazardous chemicals in and out of the laboratory. They collaborate with laboratory managers for the better execution of procedures and maintenance of the laboratory.

What does a chemical processor do?

Chemical processors are the workers who prepare a variety of chemicals for manufacturing and production. The processors operate and monitor the equipment that controls the chemical reactions when processing consumer or industrial products. They ensure that the work performed in the operations meets the work quality standards and that all materials and equipment follow the specifications when used. Also, they must have the ability to read and understand blueprints to make sure that every part of their equipment is in excellent condition before use.

Field laboratory operator vs chemical processor salary

Field laboratory operators and chemical processors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Field Laboratory Operator	Chemical Processor
Average salary	$54,062	$37,953
Salary range	Between $37,000 And $77,000	Between $28,000 And $50,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between field laboratory operator and chemical processor education

There are a few differences between a field laboratory operator and a chemical processor in terms of educational background:

	Field Laboratory Operator	Chemical Processor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	High School Diploma, 32%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Stanford University	Stanford University

Field laboratory operator vs chemical processor demographics

Here are the differences between field laboratory operators' and chemical processors' demographics:

	Field Laboratory Operator	Chemical Processor
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 62.6% Female, 37.4%	Male, 88.4% Female, 11.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 9.3% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 8.3% White, 63.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between field laboratory operator and chemical processor duties and responsibilities

Field laboratory operator example responsibilities.

Manage patient, and corporate information with compassion and confidentiality.
Perform lab testing, including automatic titration, GC, and HPLC.
Develop and validate analytical methods for HPLC, GC-MS, UV-Vis, and FT-IR.
Maintain and calibrate lab and field equipment and document calibration to ensure equipment run optimal.
Support laboratory quality control and safety initiatives and provide direct support to the microbiology, processing and emergency departments as needed.
Perform basic analyzer troubleshooting on centrifuge, label printers, and maintain quality controls on chemistry and hematology analyzer.

Chemical processor example responsibilities.

Manage daily production schedule, monitor machine operation, addressed any etching machinery problems.
Learned ISO-9001 and FDA process certification procedures and quality control programs.
Maintain responsibility for manufacturing large-scale inorganic chemical synthesis.
Maintain responsibility for manufacturing large-scale inorganic chemical synthesis.

Field laboratory operator vs chemical processor skills

Common field laboratory operator skills

Lab Equipment, 24%
Chemistry, 22%
Safety Regulations, 11%
Test Results, 5%
QC, 5%
DNA, 3%

Common chemical processor skills

Hazardous Materials, 15%
Safety Procedures, 9%
OSHA, 9%
Etching, 8%
PPE, 7%
Hazardous Waste, 7%

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Field Laboratory Operator
Field Laboratory Operator vs Chemical Processor

Updated January 8, 2025

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