How To Become An Auxiliary Operator: What It Is and Career Path

What is an auxiliary operator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Auxiliary operators control and maintain auxiliary equipment in facilities like power plants and generators. Some of this auxiliary equipment include turbines, pumps, compressors fans, and condensers. This auxiliary equipment aims to generate electrical power. Auxiliary operators must have an understanding of how the equipment works and are in charge of the repairs and maintenance of the equipment. As an auxiliary operator, you will run checks on the system regularly, identify issues that need to be resolved, and resolve them promptly. It is also important that you are aware of all safety and environmental protocol so you can adhere to them and guide others if need be.

To become an auxiliary operator, you must possess a high school diploma with some experience as a machinist mate or similar role. By implication, your previous work experience, if relevant to the job, could land you the job. Good hand-eye coordination skills, math skills, problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and listening skills are very important and cannot be overlooked. With this, you can earn at least $46,367 annually as an auxiliary operator.

ScoreAuxiliary OperatorUS Average

Salary

4.7

Avg. Salary $60,040

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

8.6

Growth Rate -7%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.6

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 2.29%

Asian 1.84%

Black or African American 7.80%

Hispanic or Latino 12.67%

Unknown 4.48%

White 70.92%

Gender

female 8.61%

male 91.39%

Age - 47.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 47.5

Stress Level

8.6

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

6.2

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

7.8

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an auxiliary operator

Explore auxiliary operator education requirements

Most common auxiliary operator degrees

High School Diploma

30.9 %

Bachelor's

28.0 %

Associate

27.6 %

Start to develop specific auxiliary operator skills

Skills	Percentages
Control Room	16.54%
Water Chemistry	11.43%
Emergency Situations	10.72%
Plant Operations	10.48%
Plant Equipment	7.39%

Complete relevant auxiliary operator training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New auxiliary operators learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an auxiliary operator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real auxiliary operator resumes.

Research auxiliary operator duties and responsibilities

Need method to proactively manage the business improving cross-functional collaboration & KPI visibility.
Follow NAES procedures on LOTO while doing so in a safely and timely manner.
Complete on site fire school training and responsible for proper operation of plant firefighting equipment.
Supervised/Operate PLC control incinerators and demilitarization machines.

Prepare your auxiliary operator resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your auxiliary operator resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an auxiliary operator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Auxiliary Operator Resume templates

Build a professional Auxiliary Operator resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Auxiliary Operator resume.

Apply for auxiliary operator jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an auxiliary operator job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams