Production · Holland code RCI

Biofuels Processing Technicians

Calculate, measure, load, mix, and process refined feedstock with additives in fermentation or reaction process vessels and monitor production process. Perform, and keep records of, plant maintenance, repairs, and safety inspections.

Also called: Biofuels Processing Technician, Ethanol Operator, Process Operator, Production Operator, Board Operator, Chemical Operator, Mash Preparatory Operator, Process Technician.

O*NET 51-8099.01

At a glance

US median annual pay: $62,470; Middle half earn $48,900 to $78,480. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Most common education: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED); 71% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
Preparation needed: Job Zone 2 of 5; Some preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.

What the work involves

The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.

Monitor batch, continuous flow, or hybrid biofuels production processes.
Operate valves, pumps, engines, or generators to control and adjust biofuels production.
Monitor and record biofuels processing data.
Collect biofuels samples and perform routine laboratory tests or analyses to assess biofuels quality.
Operate equipment, such as a centrifuge, to extract biofuels products and secondary by-products or reusable fractions.
Process refined feedstock with additives in fermentation or reaction process vessels.
Operate chemical processing equipment for the production of biofuels.
Monitor and record flow meter performance.

Skills and knowledge it leans on

Skills

Reading Comprehension3.5 / 5
Monitoring3.4 / 5
Active Listening3.3 / 5
Speaking3.3 / 5
Writing3.1 / 5
Critical Thinking3.1 / 5

Knowledge areas

Production and Processing4.0 / 5
Mechanical3.5 / 5
English Language3.4 / 5
Public Safety and Security3.4 / 5
Chemistry3.2 / 5
Computers and Electronics3.2 / 5

Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.

Who tends to enjoy it

How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.

Realistic81
Investigative38
Artistic0
Social0
Enterprising19
Conventional72

The same work abroad

Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.

Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)

Chemical and related process operatives (8113)34,100 employed
Production, factory and assembly supervisors (8160)32,600 employed

Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.

Pay across Europe, for the whole group

Median annual earnings of all employees in “Technicians and associate professionals”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.

Median annual earnings, Technicians and associate professionals, by country
Country	Median pay
Belgium	€50,992
Austria	€46,986
Germany	€44,473
Netherlands	€42,448
Ireland	€41,613
Sweden	€41,155
Italy	€34,882
France	€34,816
Spain	€29,757
Portugal	€18,080
Poland	€12,108

Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.

Exposure to AI

This occupation sits in the lower third of the 774 occupations scored, with an exposure score of -0.67. The scores are standardized across those occupations, so 0 is the average and a score of 1 is about one standard deviation above it.

Our note on reading it: the dataset links AI applications to the abilities that occupations require, so the score reflects overlap between the two. It is a comparison between occupations, not a forecast about jobs. It does not say whether exposure means tasks are replaced or workers get more done with the tools, and it says little about one employer or one role.

Source: Felten, E., Raj, M., & Seamans, R. (2021). Occupational, industry, and geographic exposure to artificial intelligence: A novel dataset and its potential uses. Strategic Management Journal, 42(12), 2195-2217. Matched to this page by 6-digit SOC code (51-8099).

Is it a fit for you?

Interest is one input, alongside ability, pay and what is hiring near you. The career interests test takes about thirteen minutes and ranks occupations by how closely their profile matches yours.

Take the career interests test