Machine Operator

Job Summary

Set up, operate, or tend machines, forming machines, and tuber machines, to shape and form products.

Work Context

Communication Interact with professionalism with coworkers and leaders

Role Relationships use the chain of command

Responsibility for Others -Be responsible for safety of self and of coworker.

Work Setting Industrial shop setting, in a non-temperature-controlled environment.

Body Positioning - ergonomic problems from awkward body positions and repetitive motion.

Work Attire Composite toe or steel toed boots

Pace and Scheduling Fast paced, production goals to be met daily

Primary Job Duties

• Adjust machine components to regulate speeds, pressures, and temperatures, and amounts, dimensions, and flow of materials or ingredients.
• Examine, measure, and weigh materials or products to verify conformance to standards, using measuring devices such as templates, micrometers, or scales.
• Monitor machine operations and observe lights and gauges to detect malfunctions.
• Press control buttons to activate machinery and equipment.
• Turn controls to adjust machine functions, such as regulating air pressure, creating vacuums, and adjusting coolant flow.
• Review work orders, specifications, or instructions to determine materials, ingredients, procedures, components, settings, and adjustments for extruding, forming, pressing, or compacting machines.
• Record and maintain production data, such as meter readings, and quantities, types, and dimensions of materials produced.
• Notify supervisors when extruded filaments fail to meet standards.
• Synchronize speeds of sections of machines when producing products involving several steps or processes.
• Clear jams and remove defective or substandard materials or products.
• Move materials, supplies, components, and finished products between storage and work areas, using work aids such as racks, hoists, and hand trucks.
• Clean dies, arbors, compression chambers, using swabs, sponges, or air hoses.

Activities

Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Education and Experience

High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

Knowledge

Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Skills

Basic Skills

• Active Learning- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
• Active Listening- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Critical Thinking- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Learning Strategies- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
• Mathematics- Using mathematics to solve problems.
• Monitoring- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Reading Comprehension- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Science- Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
• Speaking- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Writing- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Social Skills

• Coordination- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
• Service Orientation- Actively looking for ways to help people.
• Social Perceptiveness- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Complex Problem-Solving Skills

• Complex Problem Solving- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Technical Skills

• Equipment Maintenance- Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
• Equipment Selection- Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
• Operation and Control- Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
• Operation Monitoring- Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
• Operations Analysis- Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
• Quality Control Analysis- Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
• Repairing- Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
• Technology Design- Generating or adapting equipment and technology to serve user needs.
• Troubleshooting- Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

Systems Skills

• Judgment and Decision Making- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
• Systems Analysis- Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
• Systems Evaluation- Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.

Resource Management Skills

• Management of Financial Resources- Determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.
• Management of Material Resources- Obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work.
• Time Management- Managing one's own time constructively.