What does a grain elevator operator do?
Grain elevator operator responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real grain elevator operator resumes:
- Work as a grain elevator operator for summer harvest
- Help to design conveyance dollies which reduce assembly walk time and save space.
- Perform job tasks in a safe manner in compliance with ADM safety programs and procedures.
- Used agris while loading, also have telehandler and bobcat experience, also have grain grading experience
- Drive and operate grain truck and semis, tractors, skid steers, augers, conveyors.
- Repair machinery including: maintence payloaders skik loaders and forklifts.
- Eliminate wasted steps within conveyance processes improving efficiency and reducing cycle time.
- Conduct operations for seasonal wheat harvest with limit supervision in rural eastern Washington.
- Move inventory in support of logistics management.
Grain elevator operator skills and personality traits
We calculated that 24% of Grain Elevator Operators are proficient in Harvest, Ladders, and Grain Elevator. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Coordination, and Mechanical skills.
We break down the percentage of Grain Elevator Operators that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Harvest, 24%
Conducted operations for seasonal wheat harvest with limited supervision in rural eastern Washington.
- Ladders, 13%
Lift 75 lbs, climb rail cars, ladders, stairs and bins; work in dusty conditions and changing temperatures.
- Grain Elevator, 12%
Performed preventative maintenance and regular repair throughout the grain elevator, and elevator equipment.
- Measure Materials, 8%
Fix damaged equiptment.Skills UsedWeigh and measure materials and products.
- Routine Maintenance, 7%
Maximized downtime by performing routine maintenance of trackmobiles.
- Logistics, 6%
Tender Driver: Handled Logistics for fertilizer and grain delivery.
Most grain elevator operators use their skills in "harvest," "ladders," and "grain elevator" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential grain elevator operator responsibilities here:
Communication skills. The most essential soft skill for a grain elevator operator to carry out their responsibilities is communication skills. This skill is important for the role because "material moving machine operators signal and direct workers to load and unload material." Additionally, a grain elevator operator resume shows how their duties depend on communication skills: "entered customer information into computer system monitored all of the communications within a specific geographic area. "
Coordination. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling grain elevator operator duties is coordination. The role rewards competence in this skill because "material moving machine operators must have steady hands and feet to guide and control heavy machinery precisely." According to a grain elevator operator resume, here's how grain elevator operators can utilize coordination in their job responsibilities: "warehouse coordination inventory controls feed assembly line"
Mechanical skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of grain elevator operators is mechanical skills. This skill is critical to many everyday grain elevator operator duties, as "material moving machine operators make minor adjustments to their machines and perform basic maintenance on them." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "moved inventory to various locations manually and by operating mechanical equipment, including fork lift, pallet jack, and handcart. "
Visual ability. A big part of what grain elevator operators do relies on "visual ability." You can see how essential it is to grain elevator operator responsibilities because "material moving machine operators must be able to see clearly where they are driving or what they are moving." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical grain elevator operator tasks: "monitor the processes through computer systems and visual inspection and recognize when process parameters deviate to alert and take action. "
The three companies that hire the most grain elevator operators are:
- C H & S Inc46 grain elevator operators jobs
- Bartlett and Company18 grain elevator operators jobs
- GROWMARK13 grain elevator operators jobs
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Compare different grain elevator operators
Grain elevator operator vs. Conveyor system dispatcher
Operators are skilled workers who are in charge of working on an industrial machine or a specific aspect of the manufacturing business. They are trained to operate machines, learning how to use them. They are also responsible for the maintenance and repair of the machine, and they should be able to troubleshoot problems and provide remedies to them. They must be knowledgeable about the different parts of the machine and how to mitigate any challenges that may arise. Operators should be alert, detail-oriented, and familiar with safety and health guidelines.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a grain elevator operator are more likely to require skills like "harvest," "ladders," "grain elevator," and "measure materials." On the other hand, a job as a conveyor system dispatcher requires skills like "cad," "alarm systems," "plc," and "nerc." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Conveyor system dispatchers tend to reach similar levels of education than grain elevator operators. In fact, conveyor system dispatchers are 2.3% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.4% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Grain elevator operator vs. Operator
Forklift operators are skilled workers responsible for operating heavy equipment machines called forklifts. They are in charge of operating forklifts, a type of industrial or heavy equipment truck/machine that moves materials from one place to another through prongs protruding from the machine. Forklift operators are responsible for loading and unloading cargo, operating the machine to ensure that the cargo reaches its destination, and complying with safety protocols. They are also in-charge of maintenance work on the machine and reporting any challenges or issues that may be encountered. Forklift operators must be physically fit and alert at all times.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real grain elevator operator resumes. While grain elevator operator responsibilities can utilize skills like "harvest," "ladders," "grain elevator," and "measure materials," operators use skills like "safety procedures," "emergency calls," "preventative maintenance," and "quality checks."
Operators may earn a lower salary than grain elevator operators, but operators earn the most pay in the technology industry with an average salary of $41,321. On the other hand, grain elevator operators receive higher pay in the finance industry, where they earn an average salary of $39,147.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Operators tend to reach similar levels of education than grain elevator operators. In fact, they're 1.1% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.4% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Grain elevator operator vs. Forklift operator
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a grain elevator operator is likely to be skilled in "harvest," "ladders," "grain elevator," and "measure materials," while a typical forklift operator is skilled in "pallets," "basic math," "electric pallet jack," and "osha."
Forklift operators earn the best pay in the automotive industry, where they command an average salary of $37,519. Grain elevator operators earn the highest pay from the finance industry, with an average salary of $39,147.When it comes to education, forklift operators tend to earn similar degree levels compared to grain elevator operators. In fact, they're 0.3% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.3% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Grain elevator operator vs. Bed operator
Types of grain elevator operator
Updated January 8, 2025
