Also called: Petroleum Process Operator
Runs the units in an oil refinery that turn crude oil into gasoline, jet fuel and plastics feedstocks.
You work 12-hour shifts in a sprawling plant of towers and pipes. From the control room you adjust the flow to a cracking unit, then head outside to swap a pump and take samples. The pay is high because the work is demanding and safety-critical.
BLS petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators and gaugers; approximate.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
High school diploma, about 1 year after high school. High school plus extensive on-the-job training; process technology degree helps.
Ways in: On-the-job training, 2-year college. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Majors to look at: Process Technology (2-year).
Shrinking (about -8% over 10 years). Refining is slowly shrinking in the US.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. AI optimizers and remote control rooms reduce staffing over time; field operators and emergency response stay human.
Classes: Chemistry, Physics, Algebra II.
Official data: O*NET occupation 51-8093.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.