Production · Holland code RC

Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Set up, operate, or tend machines to mix or blend materials, such as chemicals, tobacco, liquids, color pigments, or explosive ingredients.

Also called: Blender, Machine Operator, Mixer, Mixer Operator, Batchmaker, Blending Technician (Blending Tech), Ink Blender, Issuing Operator.

O*NET 51-9023.00

At a glance

US median annual pay: $48,990; Middle half earn $42,850 to $59,860. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Most common education: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED); 80% 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.

Weigh or measure materials, ingredients, or products to ensure conformance to requirements.
Read work orders to determine production specifications or information.
Observe production or monitor equipment to ensure safe and efficient operation.
Mix or blend ingredients by starting machines and mixing for specified times.
Stop mixing or blending machines when specified product qualities are obtained and open valves and start pumps to transfer mixtures.
Compound or process ingredients or dyes, according to formulas.
Examine materials, ingredients, or products visually or with hands to ensure conformance to established standards.
Operate or tend machines to mix or blend any of a wide variety of materials, such as spices, dough batter, tobacco, fruit juices, chemicals, livestock feed, food products, color pigments, or explosive ingredients.

Skills and knowledge it leans on

Skills

Reading Comprehension3.1 / 5
Critical Thinking3.1 / 5
Monitoring3.1 / 5
Speaking3.0 / 5
Active Listening2.9 / 5
Writing2.8 / 5

Knowledge areas

Production and Processing4.3 / 5
English Language3.0 / 5
Mechanical2.8 / 5
Public Safety and Security2.7 / 5
Mathematics2.6 / 5
Chemistry2.6 / 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.

Realistic93
Investigative16
Artistic2
Social2
Enterprising3
Conventional54

The same work abroad

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

European occupation titles (ESCO)

slate mixer · DE Schiefermischer/Schiefermischerin · FR opérateur de mélangeur/opératrice de mélangeur
nitroglycerin neutraliser · DE Fachkraft in der Nitroglycerinherstellung (Neutralisation) · FR opérateur de machine de neutralisation de nitroglycérine/opératrice de machine de neutralisation de nitroglycérine
perfume production machine operator · DE Bediener von Maschinen zur Parfümherstellung/Bedienerin von Maschinen zur Parfümherstellung · FR conducteur en industrie de la cosmétoparfumerie/conductrice en industrie de la cosmétoparfumerie
chemical mixer · DE Chemie- und Pharmatechnologe/Chemie- und Pharmatechnologin · FR conducteur de broyeur en industrie chimique/conductrice de broyeur en industrie chimique
fertiliser mixer · DE Düngemittelmischer/Düngemittelmischerin · FR opérateur de production chimiste - fabrication d’engrais/opératrice de production chimiste - fabrication d’engrais
lacquer maker · DE Farben- und Lacktechniker/Farben- und Lacktechnikerin · FR préparateur de laques/préparatrice de laques

Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)

Food, drink and tobacco process operatives (8111)129,900 employed
Chemical and related process operatives (8113)34,100 employed
Process operatives n.e.c. (8119)26,300 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 “Plant and machine operators and assemblers”. 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, Plant and machine operators and assemblers, by country
Country	Median pay
Belgium	€39,630
Netherlands	€37,567
Austria	€37,304
Sweden	€36,005
Germany	€34,433
Ireland	€32,617
France	€28,550
Italy	€28,330
Spain	€24,409
Portugal	€11,309
Poland	€10,259

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 -0.82. 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 (51-9023).

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