Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
What Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Do
Set up, operate, or tend machines to mix or blend materials, such as chemicals, tobacco, liquids, color pigments, or explosive ingredients.
See full salary breakdown & percentiles →
Career Outlook
National employment outlook, 2024–2034.
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Self-employed
- Not available
Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.
How Much Preparation Does This Take?
Job Zone 2 of 5Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Job training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Source: O*NET Job Zones.
Key Knowledge Areas
Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.
- Production and Processingimportance 4.3/5
- English Languageimportance 3.0/5
- Mechanicalimportance 2.8/5
- Public Safety and Securityimportance 2.7/5
- Mathematicsimportance 2.6/5
- Chemistryimportance 2.6/5
- Education and Trainingimportance 2.4/5
- Administration and Managementimportance 2.2/5
Work Environment
What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets5.0/5
- Spend Time Standing4.7/5
- Time Pressure4.7/5
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.6/5
- Exposed to Contaminants4.6/5
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.6/5
Careers With Similar Skills
Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.
- Roustabouts, Oil and Gas98% skill match
- Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators97% skill match
- Power Plant Operators97% skill match
- Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders97% skill match
- Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators97% skill match
- Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators96% skill match
- Printing Press Operators96% skill match
- Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders96% skill match
Transferable Skills
Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.
- Operations Monitoringimportance 3.6/5
- Operation and Controlimportance 3.6/5
- Equipment Maintenanceimportance 3.1/5
- Troubleshootingimportance 3.1/5
- Repairingimportance 3.1/5
- Quality Control Analysisimportance 3.1/5
- Time Managementimportance 3.1/5
- Coordinationimportance 3.0/5
Software & Technologies
Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.
Hot Technologies
Other Software Used
Work Style
Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.
- Attention to Detail
- Cautiousness
- Dependability
- Integrity
- Stress Tolerance
- Perseverance
- Self-Control
Career Interests
This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.
- RealisticHigh
- ConventionalMedium
- InvestigativeLow
- EnterprisingLow
- ArtisticLow
- SocialLow
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 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.
Where This Career Is Most Concentrated
Metro areas where mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).
- 1Kankakee, IL8.09× national avg
- 2Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI7.43× national avg
- 3Evansville, IN6.06× national avg
- 4Lima, OH5.77× national avg
- 5St. Joseph, MO-KS5.20× national avg
Possible Career Moves
A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.
- Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersLateral Move
- Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and TendersLateral Move
- Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersLateral Move
- Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersLateral Move
See the full career path from Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders →