Life As a Grinding Machine Operator

Position Description Set up, operate, or tend machines to crush, grind, or polish materials, such as coal, glass, grain, stone, food, or rubber.

What do Grinding Machine Operators do On a Daily Basis?

• Read work orders to determine production specifications and information.
• Dislodge and clear jammed materials or other items from machinery and equipment, using hand tools.
• Transfer materials, supplies, and products between work areas, using moving equipment and hand tools.
• Load materials into machinery and equipment, using hand tools.
• Turn valves to regulate the moisture contents of materials.
• Add or mix chemicals and ingredients for processing, using hand tools or other devices.

Qualities of a Grinding Machine Operator

Grinding Machine Operators state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.

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.

Equipment Maintenance: Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.

Troubleshooting: Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

Related Job Titles for this Occupation:

• Jewel Cupping Machine Operator
• Crusher and Blender Operator
• Ink Grinder
• Grinding Machine Operator
• Shot Blast Equipment Operator

Are There Job Opportunities for Grinding Machine Operators?

There were about 30,200 jobs for Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in 2016 (in the United States).

Grinding Machine Operator jobs are decreasing by a rate of -6.7%. This means the total job opportunities are shrinking. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a loss of -2,000 jobs for Grinding Machine Operators by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 3,000 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders are Texas, Florida, and Arizona.

Watch out if you plan on working in Ohio, California, or Kentucky. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

How Much Does a Grinding Machine Operator Make?

The typical yearly salary for Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is somewhere between $24,310 and $53,650. A Grinding Machine Operator median salary is $36,400.

Below is a list of the median annual salaries for jobs of this type in different U.S. states.

Annual Mean Salary by State

State	Annual Mean Salary
Wyoming	$66,790
Nevada	$56,540
West Virginia	$50,420
Vermont	$46,300
New Mexico	$46,180
Utah	$45,520
Arizona	$45,420
North Dakota	$45,160
Minnesota	$44,970
Maine	$44,100
Louisiana	$43,240
New Hampshire	$42,810
Massachusetts	$42,770
Montana	$42,270
Maryland	$42,090
Idaho	$42,050
Colorado	$41,760
Delaware	$41,640
Wisconsin	$40,360
Illinois	$39,820
Alabama	$39,750
Oregon	$39,720
Pennsylvania	$39,660
Washington	$39,640
South Carolina	$39,630
Connecticut	$39,420
New York	$39,300
Iowa	$37,590
Florida	$37,280
New Jersey	$37,170
Kansas	$36,470
Georgia	$36,390
Indiana	$36,110
Tennessee	$35,960
Ohio	$35,860
Nebraska	$35,830
Missouri	$35,260
Texas	$34,760
Michigan	$34,760
Kentucky	$34,460
North Carolina	$33,910
South Dakota	$33,900
Virginia	$33,760
California	$33,680
Oklahoma	$31,550
Mississippi	$31,060
Arkansas	$30,550

What Tools & Technology do Grinding Machine Operators Use?

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Grinding Machine Operators may use on a daily basis:

• Data entry software

How to Become a Grinding Machine Operator

Are there Grinding Machine Operator education requirements?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Who Employs Grinding Machine Operators?

Related Careers

Those who work as Grinding Machine Operators sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:

• Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers
• Sheet Metal Workers

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics

College Factual

O*NET Online

Image Credit: Via Wikimedia Commons