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Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders

Typical education: High school diplomaHigh pressure

What they do

Operate or tend equipment to control chemical changes or reactions in the processing of industrial or consumer products. Equipment used includes devulcanizers, steam-jacketed kettles, and reactor vessels.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $58,040 Median per year · $27.90/hr Most earn $37,440–$92,250

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Inspect equipment or units to detect leaks or malfunctions, shutting equipment down, if necessary.
  • Estimate materials required for production and manufacturing of products.
  • Notify maintenance engineers of equipment malfunctions.
  • Make minor repairs, lubricate, and maintain equipment, using hand tools.
  • Draw samples of products at specified stages so that analyses can be performed.
  • Patrol work areas to detect leaks or equipment malfunctions or to monitor operating conditions.

Job outlook

United States
4% more jobs by 2035, about as fast as average · about 13,900 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Chemical manufacturing65.6%
  • Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing23.6%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: None

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: NoneEntry-level

This is an entry-level job. Most people start with a high school diploma and learn the equipment on the job, so you can often begin right after school.

  1. High school diploma

    About 4 years

    Finish high school with strong math and science classes, since you'll read gauges, follow recipes, and track measurements on the job.

  2. Chemical Equipment Operator

    Learned on the job; no prior experience usually needed

    You start by watching experienced operators and learning to run reactors, kettles, and other equipment safely, which builds the skills for this career.

Where it can lead

  1. Chemical Plant and System Operator

    Varies; often a few years as an equipment operator of experience first

    You'd monitor and control a larger part of the plant process, not just one piece of equipment, and you'd need to understand how the whole system works together.

  2. Refinery Operator

    About 1 to 2 years in a related plant role of experience first

    You'd run refinery units and pumping systems in a petroleum setting, which usually requires more hands-on experience and close attention to safety procedures.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take chemistry and physical scienceThese classes teach you how chemical reactions and processes work, which is the core of what operators monitor.
  • Join a robotics, engineering, or science clubWorking on hands-on projects builds teamwork and practical problem-solving that plant teams rely on.
  • Get a part-time or summer job at a factory or warehouseEven a simple starter job shows you how production work runs and builds reliability employers look for.
  • Take a shop or industrial technology classLearning to use tools and read technical diagrams prepares you for working with complex equipment.
  • Learn basic workplace safetyPlants depend on careful safety habits, and knowing them early makes you a stronger candidate.

In college

  • Take chemistry, chemical process, or industrial technology coursesClasses in chemistry and process operations give you a head start on how reactor and kettle systems work.
  • Look for a campus or town job at a lab, dining kitchen, or production facilityWorking around equipment and following procedures is close to the everyday work of an operator.
  • Consider a community college program in chemical or process technologyMany community colleges offer these programs, which can help you move toward plant operator roles over time.
  • Join a science or engineering student organizationClubs help you build teamwork skills and make contacts in local industry.
  • Ask about safety or equipment certificationsSafety training and certificates show employers you take the job seriously, and many schools or towns offer them.

Tips for getting started

  • Take chemistry, physics, and any shop or lab classes you can, so the work feels familiar on day one.
  • Look for a summer or part-time job at a factory, food plant, or warehouse to get used to working around machines and following safety rules.
  • Ask your school counselor or a local plant about job shadowing or workplace tours; seeing the equipment in person helps you decide if you like it.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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