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Occupation AtlasPump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers

O*NET · 53-7072.00

Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers

Tend, control, or operate power-driven, stationary, or portable pumps and manifold systems to transfer gases, oil, other liquids, slurries, or powdered materials to and from various vessels and processes.

Also called Acid Loader · Acid Pump Operator · Airveyor Operator · Boom Pump Operator · Booster Station Operator · Brewery Pumper · Caustic Pump Operator · Chemical Pumper
45 more

Concrete Boom Pump Operator · Concrete Operator · Concrete Pump Operator · Day Light Relief Operator · Fermenting Cellars Receiver · Fluid Pump Operator · Gas Transfer Operator · Grease and Tallow Pumper · Hydrant Systems Operator · Liquor Bridge Operator · Main Line Station Engineer · Monitor Car Operator · Oil Pumper · Operations Technician (Ops Technician) · Ops Technician · Outside Operator · Panelboard Tank Pumper · Pigment Pumper · Pipeline Dispatch Operator · Pipeline Operator · Pipeline Tech · Pipeline Technician (Pipeline Tech) · Pipeliner · Production Utility Worker · Pump Kill Operator · Pump Mechanic · Pump Operator · Pump Repair Mechanic · Pump Runner · Pump Station Operator · Pump Technician · Pump Tender · Pump Truck Operator · Pumper · Pumper Gager · Pumpman · Station Engineer · Still Pump Operator · Tank Farm Attendant · Tank Farm Operator · Tank Operator · Tank Tender · Utility Operator · Wash Oil Pump Operator · Waste Oil Pumper

Job Zone 2 — Some Preparation NeededHolland code RCI35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed

Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma, some previous work-related skill or experience, and a few months to a year of training with experienced workers.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

RCIRealistic · Conventional · Investigative — the three strongest interests, in order

  • R Realistic6.68
  • C Conventional4.50
  • I Investigative2.27
  • E Enterprising1.46
  • S Social1.28
  • A Artistic1.00

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • High School Diploma or the equivalent61%
  • Post-Secondary Certificate8%
  • Some College Courses9%
  • Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree5%
  • Bachelor's Degree18%
Related work experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (35%)
On-site or in-plant training
Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months (26%)
On-the-job training
Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months (29%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Operations Monitoring3.93.8Level 4 looks like: Monitor machine functions on an automated production line
  • Monitoringbasic3.53.4Level 4 looks like: Monitor a meeting and revise the agenda to ensure important topics are discussed
  • Operation and Control3.53.3Level 4 looks like: Adjust the speed of assembly line equipment based on the product being assembled
  • Critical Thinkingbasic3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Evaluate customer complaints and determine appropriate responses
  • Active Listeningbasic3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Take a customer's order
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Read step-by-step instructions for completing a form
  • Speakingbasic3.12.9Level 2 looks like: Greet tourists and explain tourist attractions
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Decide how scheduling a break will affect work flow
  • Time Management3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
  • Troubleshooting3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Identify the source of a leak by looking under a machine
  • Coordination2.93.0Level 2 looks like: Schedule appointments for a medical clinic
  • Active Learningbasic2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Think about the implications of a news article for job opportunities
Show the other 23
  • Complex Problem Solving2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Lay out tools to complete a job
  • Equipment Maintenance2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Add oil to an engine as indicated by a warning light
  • Quality Control Analysis2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Inspect a draft email for errors (e.g., grammar, punctuation)
  • Writingbasic2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Write down a guest's order at a restaurant
  • Instructing2.92.6Level 2 looks like: Instruct a new employee in the use of a timekeeping system
  • Repairing2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Tighten a screw to get a door to close properly
  • Social Perceptiveness2.82.3Level 2 looks like: Notice that customers are angry because they have been waiting too long
  • Management of Personnel Resources2.62.3Level 2 looks like: Encourage a coworker who is having difficulty finishing a project
  • Mathematicsbasic2.42.6Level 2 looks like: Count the amount of change to be given to a customer
  • Persuasion2.42.1Level 2 looks like: Solicit donations for a charity
  • Service Orientation2.42.1Level 2 looks like: Ask customers if they would like a cup of coffee
  • Systems Analysis2.42.1Level 2 looks like: Determine how loss of a team member will affect the completion of a job
  • Equipment Selection2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Select a tool to adjust a loose part on a bicycle
  • Negotiation2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Present justification to a manager for altering a work schedule
  • Management of Material Resources2.31.8Level 2 looks like: Reserve a room for a management meeting
  • Learning Strategiesbasic2.12.3Level 2 looks like: Learn a different method of completing a task from a coworker
  • Systems Evaluation2.12.1Level 2 looks like: Determine why estimates for the time to complete a task are overly optimistic
  • Sciencebasic2.01.4Level 2 looks like: Conduct standard tests to determine soil quality
  • Management of Financial Resources2.01.1Level 2 looks like: Use available funds to buy office supplies and record the amount of the purchase
  • Operations Analysis1.91.0Level 2 looks like: Select a printer for an office
  • Technology Design1.90.9
  • Programming1.80.8
  • Installation1.1—

Tasks

10 core · 4 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Monitor gauges and flowmeters and inspect equipment to ensure that tank levels, temperatures, chemical amounts, and pressures are at specified levels, reporting abnormalities as necessary.4.5
  2. Record operating data such as products and quantities pumped, stocks used, gauging results, and operating times.4.4
  3. Communicate with other workers, using signals, radios, or telephones, to start and stop flows of materials or substances.4.4
  4. Turn valves and start pumps to start or regulate flows of substances such as gases, liquids, slurries, or powdered materials.4.4
  5. Plan movement of products through lines to processing, storage, and shipping units, using knowledge of interconnections and capacities of pipelines, valve manifolds, pumps, and tankage.4.4
  6. Tend vessels that store substances such as gases, liquids, slurries, or powdered materials, checking levels of substances by using calibrated rods or by reading mercury gauges and tank charts.4.2
  7. Clean, lubricate, and repair pumps and vessels, using hand tools and equipment.4.2
  8. Connect hoses and pipelines to pumps and vessels prior to material transfer, using hand tools.4.2
  9. Read operating schedules or instructions or receive verbal orders to determine amounts to be pumped.4.0
  10. Test materials and solutions, using testing equipment.3.8
Show the other 4
  1. Collect and deliver sample solutions for laboratory analysis.4.0
  2. Tend auxiliary equipment such as water treatment and refrigeration units, and heat exchangers.4.0
  3. Add chemicals and solutions to tanks to ensure that specifications are met.4.0
  4. Pump two or more materials into one tank to blend mixtures.3.9

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Production and Processing3.43.7Level 4 looks like: Supervise an appliance assembly line
  • English Language3.33.2Level 4 looks like: Edit an article for a news website
  • Mechanical3.34.2Level 4 looks like: Replace a valve on a steam pipe
  • Administration and Management3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Monitor progress of a project to ensure timely completion
  • Computers and Electronics3.03.5Level 4 looks like: Use a computer to format a document
  • Mathematics3.03.8Level 4 looks like: Analyze data to determine areas with the highest sales
  • Engineering and Technology2.93.4Level 4 looks like: Design a custom office chair
  • Administrative2.72.9
Show all 33
  • Public Safety and Security2.72.5Level 1 looks like: Use a seatbelt
  • Education and Training2.63.1Level 4 looks like: Lead a quality improvement seminar
  • Customer and Personal Service2.52.8
  • Personnel and Human Resources2.52.5Level 1 looks like: Fill out a medical claim form
  • Chemistry2.43.1Level 4 looks like: Use the proper concentration of chlorine to purify a water source
  • Transportation2.32.2Level 1 looks like: Ride a train to work
  • Economics and Accounting2.22.1Level 1 looks like: Answer billing questions from credit card customers
  • Physics2.22.9
  • Telecommunications2.21.8Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • Law and Government2.11.5Level 1 looks like: Describe the length of a U.S. presidential term
  • Geography1.91.3Level 1 looks like: Know the capital of the United States
  • Building and Construction1.81.7Level 1 looks like: Choose the proper type of wood for adding a deck onto a house
  • Design1.81.9Level 1 looks like: Draw a straight line 4 3/16 inches long
  • Sales and Marketing1.82.0Level 1 looks like: Sell cakes at a bake sale
  • Communications and Media1.61.4Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Foreign Language1.50.8Level 1 looks like: Say "please" and "thank you" in a foreign language
  • Psychology1.51.0Level 1 looks like: Monitor several children on a playground
  • Biology1.41.1Level 1 looks like: Feed domestic animals
  • Medicine and Dentistry1.40.9Level 1 looks like: Use a band-aid
  • Food Production1.3—
  • Sociology and Anthropology1.30.8Level 1 looks like: Identify two cultures in a story as being different
  • Therapy and Counseling1.3—
  • History and Archeology1.2—
  • Fine Arts1.1—
  • Philosophy and Theology1.0—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Near Vision3.93.4Level 2 looks like: Read indicators on the dashboard of a car
  • Oral Comprehension3.83.6Level 4 looks like: Understand a coach's oral instructions for a sport
  • Perceptual Speed3.83.8Level 4 looks like: Read five pressure indicators in 10 seconds to make sure each is within safe limits
  • Problem Sensitivity3.83.3Level 4 looks like: Notice from a subtle difference in a client's mood that something is bothering them
  • Oral Expression3.63.3Level 4 looks like: Give instructions to a lost motorist
  • Control Precision3.43.3Level 4 looks like: Adjust farm tractor controls
  • Information Ordering3.33.1Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Written Expression3.32.9
Show all 52
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Thread a needle
  • Deductive Reasoning3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Know that a stalled car can coast downhill
  • Far Vision3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Read the slides on a presentation from across a room
  • Flexibility of Closure3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Detect that your phone is ringing while at a concert
  • Manual Dexterity3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Pack oranges in crates as quickly as possible
  • Multilimb Coordination3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Operate a forklift truck in a warehouse
  • Selective Attention3.13.3Level 4 looks like: Watch security monitors for intruders throughout the night shift
  • Written Comprehension3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Understand signs on the highway
  • Auditory Attention3.03.5Level 4 looks like: Listen for your flight announcement at a busy airport
  • Category Flexibility3.03.1Level 3 looks like: Classify flowers according to size, color, and smell
  • Depth Perception3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Merge a car into traffic on a city street
  • Extent Flexibility3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Reach for a box on a high warehouse shelf
  • Finger Dexterity3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Attach small dials to audio equipment on an assembly line
  • Hearing Sensitivity3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Inductive Reasoning3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Decide what to wear based on the weather report
  • Rate Control3.02.9
  • Reaction Time3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Press a button to stop operation when a warning light goes off
  • Speech Clarity3.02.9
  • Speech Recognition3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Recognize the voice of a coworker
  • Static Strength3.03.0Level 4 looks like: Pull a 40-pound sack of fertilizer across the lawn
  • Trunk Strength3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Sit up in an office chair
  • Visual Color Discrimination3.03.3Level 4 looks like: Trace electrical circuits marked by various colored wires
  • Visualization3.03.3Level 4 looks like: Follow a diagram to assemble a metal storage cabinet
  • Dynamic Strength2.92.3Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Mathematical Reasoning2.92.8
  • Number Facility2.92.8Level 3 looks like: Calculate a discounted price
  • Gross Body Equilibrium2.82.1Level 2 looks like: Stand on a ladder
  • Gross Body Coordination2.62.1Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Response Orientation2.62.8Level 2 looks like: When a doorbell and phone ring at the same time, quickly select which to answer first
  • Speed of Closure2.62.8Level 3 looks like: Recognize a song after hearing only the first few notes
  • Stamina2.62.3Level 1 looks like: Walk 1/4 mile
  • Wrist-Finger Speed2.62.1Level 2 looks like: Use a screwdriver to twist in a screw
  • Fluency of Ideas2.42.1Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Speed of Limb Movement2.41.9Level 2 looks like: Saw through a thin piece of wood
  • Time Sharing2.42.8Level 3 looks like: Watch street signs while driving at 30 miles an hour
  • Memorization2.12.1Level 1 looks like: Remember the number on your bus to be sure you get back on the right one
  • Originality2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Spatial Orientation2.12.1Level 2 looks like: Use the floor plan to locate a store in a mall
  • Glare Sensitivity2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Drive on a familiar road on a cloudy day
  • Peripheral Vision2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Keep in step while marching in a band
  • Sound Localization2.01.3Level 2 looks like: Listen to a sound system to determine which speaker is working
  • Night Vision1.91.3Level 2 looks like: Read street signs at dusk (just after sunset)
  • Explosive Strength1.40.8
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.0—

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials4.94.7Level 4 looks like: Inspect equipment in a chemical processing plant
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.64.6Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings4.54.8Level 4 looks like: Test electrical circuits
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.44.3Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment4.33.3Level 4 looks like: Drive an 18-wheel tractor-trailer
  • Getting Information4.23.7Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment4.24.6Level 4 looks like: Change the oil on a tractor
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.14.9Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
Show all 41
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work4.14.6Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
  • Analyzing Data or Information4.04.0Level 4 looks like: Determine the interest cost to finance a new building
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge4.04.4Level 4 looks like: Keep current on changes in maintenance procedures for repairing sports cars
  • Controlling Machines and Processes3.94.3Level 4 looks like: Operate a drilling rig
  • Documenting/Recording Information3.93.6Level 4 looks like: Document the results of a crime scene investigation
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information3.93.1Level 4 looks like: Estimate the time required to evacuate a city in the event of a major disaster
  • Processing Information3.94.2Level 4 looks like: Calculate the adjustments for insurance claims
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards3.83.7Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a complicated insurance claim for compliance with policy terms
  • Performing General Physical Activities3.84.8Level 4 looks like: Paint the outside of a house
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies3.63.7Level 4 looks like: Develop the plan to complete the merger of two organizations over a 3-year period
  • Handling and Moving Objects3.65.8
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others3.63.1Level 4 looks like: Interpret how foreign tax laws apply to U.S. exports
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People3.63.8Level 4 looks like: Determine the value of property lost in a fire
  • Scheduling Work and Activities3.43.5Level 4 looks like: Prepare the work schedule for salesclerks in a large retail store
  • Thinking Creatively3.44.0Level 4 looks like: Adapt popular music for a high school marching band
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment3.23.1Level 4 looks like: Specify the furniture and equipment for a new school
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment3.23.7Level 4 looks like: Make repairs by removing and replacing circuit boards
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others3.23.4Level 4 looks like: Get two subordinates to agree about vacation schedules
  • Training and Teaching Others3.23.0Level 4 looks like: Teach a social sciences course to high school students
  • Assisting and Caring for Others3.12.6
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships3.03.2Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources3.02.6
  • Coaching and Developing Others2.92.7
  • Developing and Building Teams2.82.3Level 1 looks like: Encourage two coworkers to stick with a tough assignment
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others2.82.9
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization2.73.0Level 4 looks like: Present information to potential clients about available services
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others2.72.6
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates2.72.2Level 1 looks like: Work occasionally as a backup supervisor
  • Working with Computers2.72.0Level 1 looks like: Enter employee information into a database
  • Performing Administrative Activities2.51.9Level 1 looks like: Complete routine paperwork
  • Selling or Influencing Others2.21.7Level 1 looks like: Convince a coworker to assist with an assignment
  • Staffing Organizational Units2.22.1Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that has minimal staffing requirements
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public1.81.2Level 1 looks like: Check tickets at a concert

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets5.0
  • Exposed to Contaminants4.9
  • In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment4.7
  • Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions4.7
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.6
  • Health and Safety of Other Workers4.5
  • Telephone Conversations4.5
  • Contact With Others4.3
  • Frequency of Decision Making4.3
  • Exposed to Hazardous Equipment4.2

Technology

7 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

In demand (3)

  • Microsoft Excelhot
  • Microsoft Office softwarehot
  • Microsoft Outlookhot

Hot (1; 3 more marked hot above)

  • Microsoft Word
Other tools (3)
  • Computerized maintenance management system CMMS
  • Operational databases
  • Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators
  2. Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers
  3. Wellhead Pumpers
  4. Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
  5. Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators
  6. Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators
  7. Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders
  8. Chemical Plant and System Operators
  9. Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders
  10. Power Plant Operators

ESCO equivalents

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.