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What is a senior production operator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
ScoreSenior Production OperatorUS Average
Salary
3.3

Avg. Salary $42,414

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity
4.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.70%

Asian 4.45%

Black or African American 11.56%

Hispanic or Latino 19.89%

Unknown 4.06%

White 59.35%

Gender

female 27.21%

male 72.79%

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
8.1

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
7.1

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
3.3

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Senior production operator career paths

Key steps to become a senior production operator

  1. Explore senior production operator education requirements

    Most common senior production operator degrees

    Bachelor's

    33.5 %

    Associate

    31.5 %

    High School Diploma

    18.7 %
  2. Start to develop specific senior production operator skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Production Equipment16.28%
    PC13.55%
    Production Efficiency9.25%
    Data Entry6.12%
    Troubleshoot5.66%
  3. Complete relevant senior production operator training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New senior production 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 senior production operator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real senior production operator resumes.
  4. Research senior production operator duties and responsibilities

    • Manage equipment batch production documentation in accordance with FDA guidelines and CGMPs.
    • Lead targeted decision-making across fast-pace production operations for this growth-orient USDA food factory producing quality meat products.
    • Communicate and assist directly with customers in troubleshooting traceability issues when problems surface involving inventory discrepancies to comply with FDA requirements.
    • Accelerate development of core skills including leadership capability, functional excellence, professional skill and general business knowledge.
  5. Get senior production operator experience

    Generally, it takes 1-2 years to become a senior production operator. The most common roles before becoming a senior production operator include production operator, operator team lead and machine operator.
  6. Prepare your senior production operator resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your senior production 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 senior production 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 senior production operator resume templates

    Build a professional senior production 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 senior production operator resume.
    Senior Production Operator Resume
    Senior Production Operator Resume
    Senior Production Operator Resume
    Senior Production Operator Resume
    Senior Production Operator Resume
    Senior Production Operator Resume
    Senior Production Operator Resume
    Senior Production Operator Resume
    Senior Production Operator Resume
  7. Apply for senior production operator jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a senior production 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 senior production operator job

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Average senior production operator salary

The average senior production operator salary in the United States is $42,414 per year or $20 per hour. Senior production operator salaries range between $29,000 and $61,000 per year.

Average senior production operator salary
$42,414 Yearly
$20.39 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do senior production operators rate their job?

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Senior production operator reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2022
Pros

Being able to create a work environment where people flourish, come together, build good relationships form positive teamwork, watching work flow smoothly, reaching or exceeding goals, and be accountable. 2. An opportunity to learn shop floor activities technically and also to develop managerial skills.

Cons

When my children were young and still in school, I didn't like not having a work-life balance to be with the family. But now my family is grown up with there own families.


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A zippia user wrote a review on May 2020
Pros

I like getting to know the company's operation and running numbers to see what opportunities there are for improvement.

Cons

I don't dislike anything about supervising, however the most difficult part of this position for me was managing people. This is a challenge when turnover rates are high.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2019
Pros

Diversity of day to day operations

Cons

Stress and the babysitting nature of job.


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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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