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Skilled Trades

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

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.

Median salary

$49,500

Typical range

$36k – $76k

Job outlook

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Education

Typical entry: No degree required

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Typical progression

  1. Junior Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

    Entry / Junior

    $35,810

    ~2 yrs to advance

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

    Established

    $49,500

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

    Senior

    $62,680

Key skills

A typical day

  • •Dump, pour, or load specified amounts of refined or unrefined materials into equipment or containers for further processing or storage.
  • •Operate machines to process materials in compliance with applicable safety, energy, or environmental regulations.
  • •Monitor material flow or instruments, such as temperature or pressure gauges, indicators, or meters, to ensure optimal processing conditions.
  • •Turn valves or move controls to admit, drain, separate, filter, clarify, mix, or transfer materials.
  • •Set up or adjust machine controls to regulate conditions such as material flow, temperature, or pressure.

Fields of study

Any field

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