Petroleum Pump System Operator
Impact: Operational
Operate pumps and auxiliary equipment to transfer petroleum products, such as crude oil, natural gas, and refined fuels, to and from pipelines, storage tanks, and processing units. Monitor gauges, flowmeters, and other indicators to ensure safe and efficient operations.
What the day looks like
- People interaction
- Minimal
- Team vs solo
- Mostly Solo
- Client facing
- Never
- Impact visibility
- Low
- Travel
- Low
- Schedule flexibility
- Rigid
- Remote work
- On-site Only
- Typical work hours
- 40
- Stress level
- Moderate
At a glance
- Median salary
- $65,000
- Entry-level
- $45,000
- Senior
- $85,000
- Growth by 2033
- Stable
- Demand
- Stable
- Freelance potential
- None
- Salary growth potential
- Moderate
- Typical student debt
- $0
Skills you'll use
Hard skills
- Equipment Operation
- Safety Procedures
- Monitoring Systems
Soft skills
- Attention to Detail
- Problem-Solving
- Dependability
Technical complexity: Moderate
How to get there
- Minimum education
- High School Diploma or GED
- Licensing
- Yes
- Years to mid-career
- 5
- Years to senior
- 10
- Career switching
- Moderate
Where this career leads
How people arrive here
Where you can go from here
Typical progression
- Can advance to lead operator or supervisor roles with experience.
Future outlook
- Automation probability
- Medium
- AI disruption risk
- Low
- Demand trend
- Stable
How people feel about it
- Overall satisfaction
- 3.5/10
- Meaning
- 3/10
- Work-life balance
- 3.5/10
- Prestige
- 5.5/10
- Social perception
- Moderate