What does a plant operator do?
A plant operator's primary role is to supervise and oversee operations in an industrial setting. They are responsible for controlling machinery and equipment, coordinating with fellow officers, monitoring the quality of progress among a particular unit or department, and maintaining daily operations records. A plant operator may also respond to inquiries and issues, perform basic troubleshooting, and provide corrective measures. Furthermore, a plant operator must conduct regular inspection and maintenance to ensure a safe work environment for everyone, all while implementing the plant's safety policies and regulations.
Plant operator responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real plant operator resumes:
- Manage and operate the DCS system or control board.
- Manage and perform preventive maintenance, electrical repairs, millwright work, and MSHA safety functions.
- Maintain buildings HVAC / lighting automation systems and make adjustments as needed for tenant's comfort and to manage energy consumption.
- Used basic math skills to calculate the weight of the ammonia by the price it are per ton.
- Operate compressors, scrubbers, pipeline, pumps, coolers, and evaporators to liquefy or compress gas.
- Maintain and repair all equipment involve in plant processes to keep within OSHA safety standards and EPA environmental codes.
- Control operation of compressors, scrubbers, evaporators, and refrigeration equipment in order to liquefy and regasify natural gas.
- Comply with all TCEQ and OSHA guidelines.
- Oversee employees to make sure plant run efficently.
- Prepare daily reports and MOR reports for TCEQ.
- Monitor inlet pipeline pressures and outlet tailgate NGL pressures.
- Climb to and work from elevate platforms ladders and walkways.
- Skil in climbing ladders, using fork lifts and cutting torches.
- Operate soot blowers to blow out flues during the night shift.
- Collaborate with other operators to solve unit problems and troubleshoot plant issues.
Plant operator skills and personality traits
We calculated that 7% of Plant Operators are proficient in Plant Equipment, Plant Operations, and Preventative Maintenance. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Math skills, and Detail oriented.
We break down the percentage of Plant Operators that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Plant Equipment, 7%
Trained to operate plant equipment and monitored daily refinery operations to optimize capacity, yield and efficiency.
- Plant Operations, 6%
Gained excellent understanding of manufacturing plant operations in the regulatory environment while making fine chemicals, fragrances, and pharmaceutical intermediates.
- Preventative Maintenance, 5%
Maintain a high standard of housekeeping in their workplace -Performs preventative maintenance on tools/equipment utilized in the production operations.
- Boilers, 5%
Controlled and maintained Boilers and Chiller machinery and all related auxiliary equipment.
- Minor Maintenance, 4%
General cleanup and minor maintenance to associated equipment.
- Ladders, 4%
Maintain quarterly inspection tags for ladders, fire extinguishers, slings, and PPE boxes etc.
Common skills that a plant operator uses to do their job include "plant equipment," "plant operations," and "preventative maintenance." You can find details on the most important plant operator responsibilities below.
Analytical skills. One of the key soft skills for a plant operator to have is analytical skills. You can see how this relates to what plant operators do because "water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators must conduct tests and inspections on water or wastewater and evaluate the results." Additionally, a plant operator resume shows how plant operators use analytical skills: "leveraged supervisory control and data acquisition systems to supervise entire range of plant operations, benchmarks, forecasts and real-time activity. "
Math skills. Another essential skill to perform plant operator duties is math skills. Plant operators responsibilities require that "water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators must have the ability to apply data to formulas that determine treatment requirements, flow levels, and concentration levels." Plant operators also use math skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "used basic math skills to calculate the weight of the ammonia by the price it was per ton. "
Detail oriented. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of plant operators is detail oriented. This skill is critical to many everyday plant operator duties, as "water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators must monitor machinery, gauges, dials, and controls to ensure everything is operating properly." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "maintained detailed logs of all plant operations and tapped into communication skills to communicate with staff across the plant. "
Mechanical skills. For certain plant operator responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "mechanical skills." The day-to-day duties of a plant operator rely on this skill, as "water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators must know how to work with machines and use tools." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what plant operators do: "operated and maintained various mechanical and control systems used to provide heating and cooling on a large campus environment. "
The three companies that hire the most plant operators are:
- Ingevity101 plant operators jobs
- Airgas64 plant operators jobs
- Cargill50 plant operators jobs
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Compare different plant operators
Plant operator vs. Water technician
Typically working at water treatment facilities, a water technician specializes in installing and repairing equipment to ensure the good quality of water and consumers' safety. It is their duty to operate tools and equipment, gather and analyze samples to detect any contaminants, participate in adjusting chemical levels, and perform regular maintenance checks on machines to ensure efficiency. They must also keep records of all operations, producing progress reports as needed. Furthermore, it is essential to maintain an active communication line with co-workers for a smooth workflow.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between plant operators and water technician. For instance, plant operator responsibilities require skills such as "plant equipment," "plant operations," "preventative maintenance," and "boilers." Whereas a water technician is skilled in "customer service," "strong work ethic," "cleanliness," and "extraction." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Water technicians tend to make the most money working in the government industry, where they earn an average salary of $39,983. In contrast, plant operators make the biggest average salary, $47,234, in the finance industry.The education levels that water technicians earn slightly differ from plant operators. In particular, water technicians are 0.5% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a plant operator. Additionally, they're 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Plant operator vs. Stationary engineer
Stationary Engineers are employees who are trained to operate machines and equipment. They mainly operate mechanical equipment, boilers, steam engines, and other stationary engines. They are also trained to conduct maintenance checks and basic repairs on such equipment. Stationary Engineers should be able to read gauges on the machines and assess the fuel levels. They are expected to monitor the machines and equipment and to track the operations. They are also expected to record and document the performance of the equipment. Sationary Engineers should know how to test the quality of the machines' outputs. This would help them manage the equipment.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real plant operator resumes. While plant operator responsibilities can utilize skills like "preventative maintenance," "boilers," "minor maintenance," and "asphalt," stationary engineers use skills like "preventive maintenance," "patients," "steam boilers," and "ventilation."
Stationary engineers may earn a higher salary than plant operators, but stationary engineers earn the most pay in the health care industry with an average salary of $77,154. On the other hand, plant operators receive higher pay in the finance industry, where they earn an average salary of $47,234.In general, stationary engineers achieve similar levels of education than plant operators. They're 1.6% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Plant operator vs. Water treatment specialist
A water treatment specialist is responsible for supervising and installing water treatment equipment and ensuring that neat water is available whenever it is needed. They must have a minimum of a high school diploma educational and a specialized water treatment certification. They need to pay attention to details and be organized to ensure that the safety and cleanliness of stored and available water are guaranteed.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from plant operator resumes include skills like "plant equipment," "plant operations," "preventative maintenance," and "boilers," whereas a water treatment specialist is more likely to list skills in "environmental health," "waste water," "food products," and "water treatment equipment. "
When it comes to education, water treatment specialists tend to earn similar degree levels compared to plant operators. In fact, they're 1.7% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.4% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Plant operator vs. Plant technician
A plant technician is in charge of overseeing plant operations, ensuring everything runs smoothly and efficiently. Their responsibilities include installing and upgrading machines and equipment, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of existing systems, implementing solutions to vulnerable or problem areas, and developing strategies to optimize plant operations. They must also perform regular maintenance checks, conducting corrective measures and adjustments as needed. Furthermore, a plant technician must provide technical support to employees, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Types of plant operator
Updated January 8, 2025
