About This Career

Calculates, measures, loads, mixes, and processes refined feedstock with additives in fermentation or reaction process vessels and monitor production process. Performs, and keeps records of, plant maintenance, repairs, and safety inspections.

This career is part of the Energy cluster.

A person in this career:

• Monitors batch, continuous flow, or hybrid biofuels production processes.
• Operates valves, pumps, engines, or generators to control and adjust biofuels production.
• Monitors and records biofuels processing data.
• Collects biofuels samples and performs routine laboratory tests or analyses to assess biofuels quality.
• Operates equipment, such as a centrifuge, to extract biofuels products and secondary by-products or reusable fractions.
• Processes refined feedstock with additives in fermentation or reaction process vessels.
• Operates chemical processing equipment for the production of biofuels.
• Monitors and records flow meter performance.
• Inspects biofuels plant or processing equipment regularly, recording or reporting damage and mechanical problems.
• Measures and monitors raw biofuels feedstock.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

• You would often handle loads up to 20 lbs., sometimes up to 50 lbs. You might do a lot of lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling.
• Work in this occupation involves use of protective items such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, a hard hat, or personal flotation devices
• Exposure to pollutants, gases, dust, fumes, odors, poor ventilation, etc.
• Conditions are very hot (above 90 F) or very cold (under 32 F)
• Work in this occupation involves using your hands to hold, control, and feel objects more than one-third of the time
• Exposed to conditions such as high voltage electricity, combustibles, explosives, and chemicals more than once a month
• Work in this occupation requires being inside most of the time
• Sound and noise levels are loud and distracting
• Work in this occupation requires being outside most of the time
• Work at heights above 8 feet more than once a month on structures such as ladders, poles, scaffolding, and catwalks

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

• Picking out a particular sound in the presence of other sounds
• Identifying color and seeing differences in color, including shades and brightness
• Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching
• Seeing clearly at a distance
• Detecting sounds and hearing the differences between sounds of different pitch and loudness
• Seeing clearly up close
• Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
• Identifying and understanding the speech of another person
• Using abdominal and lower back muscles repeatedly or over time without tiring

Work Hours and Travel

• Regular working hours and limited travel