How To Become A Refinery Operator: What It Is and Career Path

What is a refinery operator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Refinery operators operate in plants that store and refine crude oil. They are responsible for refining crude oil into diverse goods that are fit for use, from transport fuels to vegetable oils. The job of a refinery operator is physically taxing and sometimes takes 12 hours or more, and sometimes they work under pressure.

In general, refinery operators report to plant managers and other supervisors. They also communicate frequently with other workers, vendors, and other outside stakeholders to ensure that acceptable oil requirements are met and maintained. The duties and responsibilities of refinery operators may vary depending on their employers, the facility, and how the products are made.

While several steps are taken, the refinery operator is responsible for correctly converting the crude oil into a given commodity. The commodity must follow a series of requirements that the refinery producer is responsible for whether it is gasoline, food supply, or some other petroleum-based goods. To meet these requirements, operators must use or maintain equipment used in the various processes of refining, including hydrogenation, deodorizing, and bleaching.

ScoreRefinery OperatorUS Average

Salary

3.7

Avg. Salary $47,058

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

8.3

Growth Rate 7%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

4.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.81%

Asian 4.31%

Black or African American 10.15%

Hispanic or Latino 19.32%

Unknown 4.75%

White 60.67%

Gender

female 6.43%

male 93.57%

Age - 47

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

Stress Level

8.3

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

8.2

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

5.1

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a refinery operator

Explore refinery operator education requirements

Most common refinery operator degrees

High School Diploma

28.9 %

Bachelor's

28.3 %

Associate

27.7 %

Start to develop specific refinery operator skills

Skills	Percentages
Safety Procedures	11.95%
Ladders	7.07%
Product Quality	6.99%
Control Room	6.47%
Rail Cars	6.14%

Complete relevant refinery operator training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New refinery 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 a refinery operator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real refinery operator resumes.

Research refinery operator duties and responsibilities

Manage multiple large volume fermentation tanks simultaneously.
Work include LOTO procedures and gathering oil samples for the onsite lab.
Have knowledge of cryo plant production, amine, and NGL production.
Operate gas/oil fire heat exchangers.

Prepare your refinery operator resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your refinery 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 a refinery 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 Refinery Operator Resume templates

Build a professional Refinery 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 Refinery Operator resume.

Apply for refinery operator jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a refinery 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

How do refinery operators rate their job?

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Refinery Operator reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2019

Cons

Shift work