Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders
Also called: Acid Operator, Acid Patroller, Acid Polymerization Operator, Acid Purification Equipment Operator, Acid Recovery Operator, Acid Retort Operator, Acid Tender, Aluminum Hydroxide Process Operator
Operate or tend equipment to control chemical changes or reactions in the processing of industrial or consumer products.
What chemical equipment operators and tenders do
Typical tasks
- Observe safety precautions to prevent fires or explosions.
- Patrol work areas to detect leaks or equipment malfunctions or to monitor operating conditions.
- Monitor gauges, recording instruments, flowmeters, or products to ensure that specified conditions are maintained.
- Inspect equipment or units to detect leaks or malfunctions, shutting equipment down, if necessary.
- Record operational data, such as temperatures, pressures, ingredients used, processing times, or test results.
- Draw samples of products at specified stages so that analyses can be performed.
- Measure, weigh, and mix chemical ingredients, according to specifications.
- Open valves or start pumps, agitators, reactors, blowers, or automatic feed of materials.
- Test product samples for specific gravity, chemical characteristics, pH levels, concentrations, or viscosities, or send them to laboratories for testing.
- Adjust controls to regulate temperature, pressure, feed, or flow of liquids or gases and times of prescribed reactions, according to knowledge of equipment and processes.
- Control or operate equipment in which chemical changes or reactions take place during the processing of industrial or consumer products.
- Load products into tanks for shipment.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders salary
The median annual wage for chemical equipment operators and tenders is $58,040 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $37,440 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $92,250. The mean annual wage is $60,710.
The mean hourly wage of $29.00 is 4.0× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $58,040 → in 3 years $63,200 → in 5 years $66,900 → in 10 years $77,200 (10-year range $66,400–$89,600). The model assumes pay growth of +2.9% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
The same job in Japan
| Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders United States | 医薬品製造 Japan | |
|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | $58,040 | ¥5.50M ≈ $34,974 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | $77,200 | ¥6.44M |
| Outlook score | 49 | 46 |
| AI replacement risk | 53% Moderate | 77% High |
| Workers | 140K | — |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 2 — some preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★☆☆☆☆ Easy to enter (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become chemical equipment operators and tenders
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as chemical equipment operators and tenders
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.