Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Production
Specified amounts of material go into continuous-flow or vat equipment, from filter presses and centrifuges to stills, scrubbing towers, and dairy processing machines, so liquids, gases, or solids can be separated out. Valves, agitators, pumps, and conveyors are started and adjusted to admit, drain, filter, or transfer the mix while temperature, pressure, and flow stay in range. Samples are checked for clarity, dryness, texture, or cleanliness; machines are inspected for leaks, wear, and hazards, and the run has to follow safety, energy, and environmental rules. Fits people who like hands-on machine setup, judging a product by look and feel, and watching a physical process hold its set conditions.
Typical education: High School Diploma or GED
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$51'610
Median Wage Market Position
$51'610
What you might do
- Load materials into filters, stills, or separating tanks
- Turn valves to filter, drain, or transfer batches
- Tune machine settings for flow, heat, and pressure
- Start agitators, shakers, pumps, or centrifuges
- Check samples for clarity, dryness, or texture
- Inspect machines for leaks, wear, or other faults
Skills that matter
- Keeping watch on filters, tanks, and stills
- Choosing when to drain, separate, or transfer
- Noting flow, temperature, and pressure readings
- Working valves, pumps, and centrifuges
- Checking samples for clarity and texture
- Making sense of process and safety instructions
AI & the future of this role
Sensors and automated controls could handle more of the steady-state running of separators, filters, and stills. Setup, cleaning, quality checks, and responding when feeds or equipment behave oddly remain harder to fully automate.
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Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details