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What is a petroleum refinery operator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a petroleum refinery operator. For example, did you know that they make an average of $23.34 an hour? That's $48,556 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 4% and produce 90,900 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScorePetroleum Refinery OperatorUS Average
Salary
3.8

Avg. Salary $48,556

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
8.3

Growth rate 4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
4.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.81%

Asian 4.29%

Black or African American 9.84%

Hispanic or Latino 20.58%

Unknown 4.74%

White 59.74%

Gender

female 9.59%

male 90.41%

Age - 47
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 47
Stress level
8.3

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.2

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
5.1

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a petroleum refinery operator

  1. Explore petroleum refinery operator education requirements

    Most common petroleum refinery operator degrees

    Associate

    31.3 %

    Bachelor's

    28.1 %

    High School Diploma

    25.0 %
  2. Start to develop specific petroleum refinery operator skills

    SkillsPercentages
    API26.96%
    LOTO26.58%
    Rail Cars25.16%
    Distillation21.30%
  3. Complete relevant petroleum refinery operator training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New petroleum refinery operators learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a petroleum refinery operator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real petroleum refinery operator resumes.
  4. Research petroleum refinery operator duties and responsibilities

    • Manage smart pig cleaning and maintenance schedule for all assign areas of responsibility.
    • Experience operating and maintaining pipeline systems and relate equipment utilize in natural gas and liquids gathering and transmission systems.
    • Perform both unit operation and remote console operation for same facility.
  5. Prepare your petroleum refinery operator resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your petroleum refinery operator resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a petroleum refinery operator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable petroleum refinery operator resume templates

    Build a professional petroleum refinery operator resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your petroleum refinery operator resume.
    Petroleum Refinery Operator Resume
    Petroleum Refinery Operator Resume
    Petroleum Refinery Operator Resume
    Petroleum Refinery Operator Resume
    Petroleum Refinery Operator Resume
    Petroleum Refinery Operator Resume
    Petroleum Refinery Operator Resume
    Petroleum Refinery Operator Resume
    Petroleum Refinery Operator Resume
  6. Apply for petroleum refinery operator jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a petroleum refinery operator job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first petroleum refinery operator job

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Average petroleum refinery operator salary

The average petroleum refinery operator salary in the United States is $48,556 per year or $23 per hour. Petroleum refinery operator salaries range between $28,000 and $83,000 per year.

Average petroleum refinery operator salary
$48,556 Yearly
$23.34 hourly

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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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