Process Operator

NOC #93101

  • Environment Primarily indoor/office work
  • Education Post-secondary diploma

Career profile

Process operators are skilled workers that are responsible for a variety of hands-on tasks essential to the safe and efficient operations of various facilities. They operate, monitor, and maintain the equipment and facilities across the energy industry.

Depending on the employer, process operators may be responsible for a wide variety of tasks from manual labour to complex machine operations in smaller organizations or being responsible for managing a single specific process in larger organizations.

Exploration and production, Oil sands, Oil and gas services, Pipelines, Offshore

In this occupation, activities may include:

  • Participating in procedure and operating standard reviews and updates
  • Participating in safety audits and safety programs and maintain a safe work environment
  • Operating production and processing equipment from a central control room
  • Identifying hazards, maintenance issues, and unplanned events and communicating these effectively to supervisors
  • Recording readings manually or on a computer
  • Collecting samples from production streams for analysis
  • Moving equipment and tools between locations as directed and required
  • Operating, monitoring, adjusting, and maintaining process equipment to ensure production
  • Performing routine field level equipment inspections to verify and monitor operation
  • Performing routine maintenance on field equipment as required or directed by supervisors

Education

  • Completion of high school is required. Mathematics, chemistry and physics subjects are often specified.
  • A technical diploma in process operation, sciences or a related subject may be required for some positions.

Certifications

Depending on the employer the following certifications may be required:

  • First Aid
  • Hydrogen Sulfide Awareness (H2S Alive®)
  • Blowout Prevention
  • Firefighting
  • Workplace Hazardous Material Information System (WHMIS)

Licensing

  • A provincial power engineer licence, compressor operator, steam operator or refrigeration certificate may be required when certain kinds of equipment are included in the process.

Additional Requirements

  • Valid Driver’s License

  • Minimal or no travel
  • Primarily indoor/office work
  • Work not physically demanding
  • Shiftwork/variable work hours
  • Safety-sensitive environment
  • Lower-risk tolerant culture
  • Computers and Electronics
  • Production and Processing
  • Understanding Risk
  • Works Safely
  • Interpreting Documents/Plans
  • Mechanical Operation
  • Equipment Maintenance
  • Operation and Control
  • Operation Monitoring
  • Quality Control Analysis
  • Troubleshooting
  • Attention to Detail