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Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Typical education: High school diplomaHigh pressure

What they do

Set up, operate, or tend continuous flow or vat-type equipment; filter presses; shaker screens; centrifuges; condenser tubes; precipitating, fermenting, or evaporating tanks; scrubbing towers; or batch stills. These machines extract, sort, or separate liquids, gases, or solids from other materials to recover a refined product. Includes dairy processing equipment operators.

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 $51,610 Median per year · $24.81/hr Most earn $36,200–$79,750

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Dump, pour, or load specified amounts of refined or unrefined materials into equipment or containers for further processing or storage.
  • Install, maintain, or repair hoses, pumps, filters, or screens to maintain processing equipment, using hand tools.
  • Connect pipes between vats and processing equipment.
  • Start agitators, shakers, conveyors, pumps, or centrifuge machines.
  • Install, maintain, or repair hoses, pumps, filters, or screens to maintain processing equipment, using hand tools.
  • Remove clogs, defects, or impurities from machines, tanks, conveyors, screens, or other processing equipment.

Job outlook

United States
6% fewer jobs by 2035, declining · about 5,200 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

  • Beverage manufacturing45.2%
  • Dairy product manufacturing11.1%
  • Chemical manufacturing6.8%
  • Full-service restaurants6.7%
  • Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing5.3%

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

Experience before this job: 1 to 3 months

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: 1 to 3 monthsEntry-level

This is an entry-level job. Most people start with a high school diploma and learn the equipment on the job, usually in about 1 to 3 months.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Build a solid base in math, science, and reading, since you'll read gauges, follow written procedures, and measure carefully.

  2. Entry-level production job at a food, dairy, or chemical plant

    3-6 months

    Work as a general plant helper or production worker to learn how the plant runs and to get comfortable with its equipment and safety rules.

  3. Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender

    1-3 months of on-the-job training

    Learn to set up, run, and monitor filter presses, centrifuges, tanks, and stills while following safety and quality checks.

Where it can lead

  1. Chemical Plant Operator

    2-5 years of experience first

    You move from running one set of machines to monitoring whole processing systems, which usually requires learning more about chemistry, controls, and troubleshooting.

  2. Lead Operator

    3-5 years of experience first

    You guide and train other operators, schedule shifts, and handle problems on the floor, which takes strong reliability and communication skills.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take chemistry and biologyThese classes explain how liquids, gases, and solids separate, which is the core idea behind this job.
  • Take shop or industrial technology classesHands-on practice with tools and machines helps you feel at home around plant equipment.
  • Get a part-time or summer job at a grocery, food, or warehouse businessWorking around equipment and following safety rules builds the habits employers look for.
  • Join a science or robotics clubTeamwork and building or testing machines give you practice with troubleshooting.
  • Volunteer at a food bank or community kitchenYou'll learn about food handling, cleanliness, and following steps carefully.

In college

  • Take chemistry, physics, or a food science courseThese courses give you a stronger understanding of separation methods and how processing equipment works.
  • Look for a summer internship or co-op at a food, dairy, or chemical plantReal plant experience shows employers you can handle the pace and safety rules.
  • Get a campus job in a lab or dining kitchenWorking with equipment and following exact procedures gives you practical skills.
  • Earn a safety or forklift certificationCertifications are a low-cost way to show you take workplace safety seriously.
  • Join a professional or engineering student clubClubs help you meet people in manufacturing and learn about career options.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask a plant or factory about job shadowing or a tour, so you can see the equipment and decide if it interests you.
  • Get comfortable with basic math and measurements, since operators check readings, temperatures, and batch amounts every shift.
  • Take safety certifications, like forklift or basic first aid, if your school or town offers them, because they make job applications stronger.

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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