CompGeo Chemical Plant and System Operators Salary Survey Benchmark Job Description and Competencies - Manufacturing Occupation Group

CompGeo Occupation Group: Manufacturing

Job Family: Manufacturing/Chemical

Benchmark Title: Chemical Plant and System Operators

Summary Job Description

Tasks

Control or operate entire chemical processes or system of machines.

Move control settings to make necessary adjustments on equipment units affecting speeds of chemical reactions, quality, and yields.

Monitor recording instruments, flowmeters, panel lights, and other indicators, and listen for warning signals, in order to verify conformity of process conditions.

Control or operate chemical processes or systems of machines, using panelboards, control boards, or semi-automatic equipment.

Record operating data such as process conditions, test results, and instrument readings.

Confer with technical and supervisory personnel to report or resolve conditions affecting safety, efficiency, and product quality.

Draw samples of products, and conduct quality control tests in order to monitor processing, and to ensure that standards are met.

Regulate or shut down equipment during emergency situations, as directed by supervisory personnel.

Start pumps to wash and rinse reactor vessels, to exhaust gases and vapors, to regulate the flow of oil, steam, air, and perfume to towers, and to add products to converter or blending vessels.

Interpret chemical reactions visible through sight glasses or on television monitors, and review laboratory test reports for process adjustments.

Patrol work areas to ensure that solutions in tanks and troughs are not in danger of overflowing.

Notify maintenance, stationary-engineering, and other auxiliary personnel to correct equipment malfunctions and to adjust power, steam, water, or air supplies.

Inspect operating units such as towers, soap-spray storage tanks, scrubbers, collectors, and driers to ensure that all are functioning, and to maintain maximum efficiency.

Direct workers engaged in operating machinery that regulates the flow of materials and products.

Turn valves to regulate flow of products or byproducts through agitator tanks, storage drums, or neutralizer tanks.

Calculate material requirements or yields according to formulas.

Gauge tank levels, using calibrated rods.

Repair and replace damaged equipment.

Defrost frozen valves, using steam hoses.

Supervise the cleaning of towers, strainers, and spray tips.

CompGeo Occupation Group: Manufacturing

Job Family: Manufacturing/Chemical

Benchmark Title: Chemical Plant and System Operators

Important Knowledge Competencies

Competency Description

Production and Processing

Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Mechanical

Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Chemistry

Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

Computers and Electronics

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Public Safety and Security

Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Mathematics

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Education and Training

Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Law and Government

Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

Administration and Management

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Design

Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

English Language

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Engineering and Technology

Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

CompGeo Occupation Group: Manufacturing

Job Family: Manufacturing/Chemical

Benchmark Title: Chemical Plant and System Operators

Important Skill Competencies

Competency Description

Operation Monitoring

Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Operation and Control

Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Monitoring

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Quality Control Analysis

Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Writing

Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Judgment and Decision Making

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Speaking

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Active Learning

Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Complex Problem Solving

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Systems Evaluation

Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.

Time Management

Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Mathematics

Using mathematics to solve problems.

Learning Strategies

Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

Coordination

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Systems Analysis

Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.

Management of Personnel Resources

Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.

Instructing

Teaching others how to do something.

Equipment Maintenance

Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.

Troubleshooting

Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

CompGeo Occupation Group: Manufacturing

Job Family: Manufacturing/Chemical

Benchmark Title: Chemical Plant and System Operators

Important Ability Competencies

Competency Description

Problem Sensitivity

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

Selective Attention

The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.

Near Vision

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Oral Comprehension

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Oral Expression

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Information Ordering

The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

Deductive Reasoning

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Perceptual Speed

The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.

Control Precision

The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.

Far Vision

The ability to see details at a distance.

Hearing Sensitivity

The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.

Auditory Attention

The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.

Written Comprehension

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Inductive Reasoning

The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Visual Color Discrimination

The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.

Written Expression

The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Category Flexibility

The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

Mathematical Reasoning

The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.

Finger Dexterity

The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

Reaction Time

The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.

Speech Recognition

The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Speech Clarity

The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

Number Facility

The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.

Flexibility of Closure

The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.

Arm-Hand Steadiness

The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

Manual Dexterity

The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

Multilimb Coordination

The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.

Response Orientation

The ability to choose quickly between two or more movements in response to two or more different signals (lights, sounds, pictures). It includes the speed with which the correct response is started with the hand, foot, or other body part.

Depth Perception

The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.

Speed of Closure

The ability to quickly make sense of, combine, and organize information into meaningful patterns.

Visualization

The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.

Rate Control

The ability to time your movements or the movement of a piece of equipment in anticipation of changes in the speed and/or direction of a moving object or scene.

Time Sharing

The ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as speech, sounds, touch, or other sources).

Stamina

The ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath.

Gross Body Equilibrium

The ability to keep or regain your body balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.

CompGeo Occupation Group: Manufacturing

Job Family: Manufacturing/Chemical

Benchmark Title: Chemical Plant and System Operators

Tools/Technology Example

Product Category

Alarm management system software

Industrial control software

Coordinated incident management system CIMS software

Network security or virtual private network VPN management software

Distributed control systems DCS software

Industrial control software

Interlock shutdown systems

Industrial control software

Accumulators

Hydraulic accumulators

Agitator tanks

Processing tanks

Air conditioning systems

Air conditioners

Axial flow fans

Fans

Barometers

Belt conveyors

Blending vessels

Chemical tanks

Boilers

Water tube boiler

Bourdon tubes

Pressure sensors

Bucket elevators

Bucket conveyors

Calibrated rods

Logging instruments for water wells

Capacitance probes

Capacitance meters

Centrifugal compressors

Centrifugal fans

Fans

Centrifugal pumps

Chain conveyors

Chemical reactor vessels

Chemical tanks

Collectors

Collection tanks

Control boards

Low voltage alternating and direct current AC DC panelboards

Converter vessels

Chemical tanks

Conveyor feeders

Cooling towers

Evaporative coolers

Desktop computers

Digital surface thermometers

Surface thermometers

Display screens

Cathode ray tube CRT monitors

Distillation columns

Distillation pipings or columns or fittings

Effluent treatment systems

Packaged water treatment systems

Fire extinguishers

Gas analyzers

Chemical absorption gas analyzers

Heating vessels

Heating or drying equipment or accessories

Hoppers

Processing tanks

Humidifiers

Industrial dryers

Air dryers

Industrial fans

Fans

Industrial liquid flowmeters

Flowmeters

Manometers

Mixing tanks

Processing tanks

Neutralizer tanks

Processing tanks

Panel lights

Low voltage alternating and direct current AC DC panelboards

Panelboards

Low voltage alternating and direct current AC DC panelboards

Personal protective equipment

Hazardous material protective apparel

Positive displacement pumps

Pressure gauges

Pressure sensors

Radiographic detecting instruments

Radiation detectors

Reciprocating compressors

Reciprocating pumps

Recording calorimeters

Calorimeters

Refrigeration systems

Refrigerated tanks

Rotary pumps

Screw conveyors

Conveyor screw

Silencers

Silencer sections

Soap-spray storage tanks

Storage tanks

Steam hoses

Special hoses

Steam turbines

Steam engines

Storage drums

Storage tanks

Tensometers

Tension testers

Thermocouple temperature probes

Thermocouple probes

Thermocouples

Viscometers

Viscosimeters

Wet scrubbers

CompGeo Occupation Group: Manufacturing

Job Family: Manufacturing/Chemical

Benchmark Title: Chemical Plant and System Operators

Prerequisite Qualification Category

Education and Experience Level

Required Level of Education

High School Diploma (or GED or High School Equivalence Certificate)

On-the-Job Training

Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year

CompGeo Occupation Group: Manufacturing

Job Family: Manufacturing/Chemical

Benchmark Title: Chemical Plant and System Operators

Alternate Job Title(s)

Ammonia Still Operator

Badger Distiller Operator

Checker

Chemical Operator

Chemical Plant Operations Technician

Chemical Technician

Chemical Treatment Plant Technician

Chief Operator

Continuous Operator

Control Room Operator

Denitrator

Furnace Process Plant Operator

Hydrogenation Operator

Naphtha Washing System Operator

Nitric Acid Plant Operator

Nitrogen Operator

Operations Technician

Operator

Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Machine Operator

Pharmaceutical Operator

Pressure Controller

Process Development Associate

Process Development Technician

Process Operator

Process Technician

Switchboard Operator

Tower Operator

Utility Operator

Warehouse Technician

Wash Operator

CompGeo Occupation Group: Manufacturing

Job Family: Manufacturing/Chemical

Benchmark Title: Chemical Plant and System Operators

.

CompGeo Professional Salary Survey and Total Compensation Forecast Options

Professional Total Compensation Forecast Library

Regional Online Access Subscription Options. Online Salary Survey Forecast Library Subscriptions include Access To All 23 CompGeo Salary Survey Career Occupation Groups covering thousands of Salary Survey Benchmarks with Salary and Compensation Forecasts over a eight year time period - an unmatched feature in the Salary and Compensation Forecast Business Realm.. Direct Pay, Fringe Benefit Costs and Total Compensation Forecasts included. Compensation Forecasts are present for all CompGeo Salary Survey Benchmarks along with Salary Survey Aging Factors for ea ch Projection Date. All Salary Survey Forecast Reports include a Companion Excel Salary Survey Forecast Data Sheet.

CompGeo Professional Salary Survey Report and Forecast Samples

CompGeo Salary Survey Report Samples

Samples and Pricing for all CompGeo Online Professional Report and Online Forecast Library Subscription Options.

CompGeo Salary Survey Benchmark Job Summary and Competencies

Chemical Plant and System Operators

CompGeo Professional Salary Survey and Total Compensation Forecast Options

CompGeo Professional Salary Survey Report and Forecast Samples