Lead operator/machine operators work in industrial production. They are responsible for operating heavy machinery at manufacturing sites. They repair and install the machines as well, setting correct adjustments and performing maintenance work to ensure the equipment is always safe to use.
Working as a lead operator, you will be responsible for overseeing the work at your department. You will coordinate the various work phases and delegate tasks to make sure production quotas are delivered within the deadline. Training employees will be your job as well. Other than that, you will assist with any activity that ensures a steady workflow.
You need to be able to lead a team of workers in this position. Experience in manufacturing environments will be important, and sometimes an associate's degree in a technical field is also required. You will be working in rotating shifts, probably for long hours at a stretch. Being up to speed with safety regulations will be a relevant factor in evaluating your competence as well.
What is a Lead Operator/Machine Operator?
What Does a Lead Operator/Machine Operator Do
When it comes to the most important skills required to be a lead operator/machine operator, we found that a lot of resumes listed 13.2% of lead operator/machine operators included safety procedures, while 8.2% of resumes included machine operators, and 7.5% of resumes included quality standards. Hard skills like these are helpful to have when it comes to performing essential job responsibilities.
How To Become a Lead Operator/Machine Operator
If you're interested in becoming a lead operator/machine operator, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 12.8% of lead operator/machine operators have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 1.3% of lead operator/machine operators have master's degrees. Even though some lead operator/machine operators have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
Lead Operator/Machine Operator Career Paths
As you move along in your career, you may start taking on more responsibilities or notice that you've taken on a leadership role. Using our career map, a lead operator/machine operator can determine their career goals through the career progression. For example, they could start out with a role such as production supervisor, progress to a title such as production manager and then eventually end up with the title production manager.
Average Salary for a Lead Operator/Machine Operator
What Am I Worth?
Roles and Types of Lead Operator/Machine Operator
There are several types of lead operator/machine operator, including:
Lead Operator
Role:
Lead operators know their fair share about engineering and technology, and understand how to apply their knowledge in practical situations. They are familiar with raw materials and production processes and have insight on how to maximize productivity. They have a solid background in mathematics, as well, and have a strong affinity toward analytical thinking.
The average hourly salary of a lead operator in the U.S. is $18.26, and working hours are your usual 40 hours a week, often in rotating shifts.
- Average Salary: $88,429
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree
Production Leader
Role:
To work as a production leader, you need to have a minimum of a bachelor's degree in business management or a related field. Having relevant certifications is a plus. Candidates must have at least a year of relevant work experience. You must have problem-solving, communication, troubleshooting, organization, planning, and project management skills. Production leaders make an average salary of $59,261 annually. This falls between $33,000 and $107,000.
- Average Salary: $44,563
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree
States With The Most Lead Operator/Machine Operator Jobs
Mouse over a state to see the number of active lead operator/machine operator jobs in each state. The darker areas on the map show where lead operator/machine operators earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Number Of Lead Operator/Machine Operator Jobs By State
| Rank | State | Number of Jobs | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 4,035 | $44,300 |
| 2 | Illinois | 3,853 | $39,762 |
| 3 | Ohio | 3,851 | $38,209 |
| 4 | Texas | 3,693 | $37,951 |
| 5 | Georgia | 3,089 | $37,511 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | 2,604 | $44,164 |
| 7 | Michigan | 2,478 | $37,678 |
| 8 | Florida | 2,405 | $35,861 |
| 9 | North Carolina | 2,304 | $38,356 |
| 10 | Indiana | 2,134 | $37,907 |
| 11 | Wisconsin | 1,881 | $37,658 |
| 12 | Tennessee | 1,735 | $35,893 |
| 13 | Minnesota | 1,714 | $43,616 |
| 14 | South Carolina | 1,650 | $38,995 |
| 15 | New York | 1,624 | $40,300 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | 1,519 | $39,617 |
| 17 | Virginia | 1,470 | $39,556 |
| 18 | Missouri | 1,348 | $40,763 |
| 19 | New Jersey | 1,121 | $42,476 |
| 20 | Iowa | 1,067 | $35,296 |
| 21 | Kentucky | 1,050 | $40,205 |
| 22 | Kansas | 979 | $43,684 |
| 23 | Maryland | 965 | $41,077 |
| 24 | Arizona | 901 | $41,706 |
| 25 | Arkansas | 885 | $35,387 |
| 26 | Oklahoma | 866 | $36,915 |
| 27 | Alabama | 848 | $32,629 |
| 28 | Nebraska | 792 | $34,093 |
| 29 | Colorado | 758 | $39,903 |
| 30 | Washington | 755 | $38,670 |
| 31 | Utah | 739 | $35,179 |
| 32 | Nevada | 692 | $39,081 |
| 33 | Mississippi | 633 | $39,063 |
| 34 | Oregon | 606 | $39,210 |
| 35 | Idaho | 538 | $39,265 |
| 36 | Louisiana | 518 | $35,727 |
| 37 | Connecticut | 509 | $42,536 |
| 38 | New Mexico | 456 | $34,898 |
| 39 | Montana | 450 | $35,938 |
| 40 | New Hampshire | 449 | $37,518 |
| 41 | South Dakota | 280 | $36,464 |
| 42 | Maine | 269 | $39,668 |
| 43 | West Virginia | 269 | $34,529 |
| 44 | Delaware | 228 | $44,177 |
| 45 | Alaska | 225 | $39,031 |
| 46 | North Dakota | 209 | $41,676 |
| 47 | Rhode Island | 188 | $42,899 |
| 48 | Vermont | 155 | $36,774 |
| 49 | Hawaii | 107 | $44,091 |
| 50 | Wyoming | 89 | $23,115 |
Choose From 10+ Customizable Lead Operator/Machine Operator Resume templates
Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Lead Operator/Machine Operator templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Lead Operator/Machine Operator resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Lead Operator/Machine Operator Demographics
Lead Operator/Machine Operator Gender Distribution
After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
- Among lead operator/machine operators, 22.1% of them are women, while 77.9% are men.
- The most common race/ethnicity among lead operator/machine operators is White, which makes up 59.0% of all lead operator/machine operators.
- The most common foreign language among lead operator/machine operators is Spanish at 77.6%.
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See More on CourseraBest States For a Lead Operator/Machine Operator
Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a lead operator/machine operator. The best states for people in this position are California, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Hawaii. Lead operator/machine operators make the most in California with an average salary of $44,300. Whereas in Delaware and Pennsylvania, they would average $44,177 and $44,164, respectively. While lead operator/machine operators would only make an average of $44,091 in Hawaii, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.
1. Kansas
$43,684
Avg. Salary
2. Pennsylvania
$44,164
Avg. Salary
3. Minnesota
$43,616
Avg. Salary
How Do Lead Operator/Machine Operator Rate Their Jobs?
Top Lead Operator/Machine Operator Employers
Most Common Employers For Lead Operator/Machine Operator
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Solectron Corp | $87,489 | $42.06 | 14 |
| 2 | PepsiCo | $44,927 | $21.60 | 9 |
| 3 | Shutterfly | $43,808 | $21.06 | 25 |
| 4 | Owens Corning | $42,583 | $20.47 | 6 |
| 5 | Keurig Dr Pepper | $42,191 | $20.28 | 7 |
| 6 | WestRock | $41,644 | $20.02 | 6 |
| 7 | International Paper | $41,127 | $19.77 | 10 |
| 8 | Tyson Foods | $40,903 | $19.66 | 12 |
| 9 | Kimberly-Clark | $40,259 | $19.36 | 20 |
| 10 | Georgia-Pacific | $39,881 | $19.17 | 9 |
Lead Operator/Machine Operator Videos
