Biofuels Processing Technicians
Calculate, measure, load, mix, and process refined feedstock with additives in fermentation or reaction process vessels and monitor production process. Perform, and keep records of, plant maintenance, repairs, and safety inspections.
Most important skills
- Operations Monitoring
- Operation and Control
- Reading Comprehension
- Monitoring
- Quality Control Analysis
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Equipment Maintenance
Key knowledge
- Production and Processing
- Mechanical
- English Language
- Public Safety and Security
- Chemistry
- Computers and Electronics
- Education and Training
- Engineering and Technology
What the work involves
- Calculate, measure, load, or mix refined feedstock used in biofuels production.
- Operate chemical processing equipment for the production of biofuels.
- Operate equipment, such as a centrifuge, to extract biofuels products and secondary by-products or reusable fractions.
- Operate valves, pumps, engines, or generators to control and adjust biofuels production.
- Process refined feedstock with additives in fermentation or reaction process vessels.
- Assess the quality of biofuels additives for reprocessing.
- Calibrate liquid flow devices and meters, including fuel, chemical, and water meters.
- Collect biofuels samples and perform routine laboratory tests or analyses to assess biofuels quality.
Strongest interest areas (O*NET): Realistic, Conventional, Investigative.
Qualifications and licensing
- Most common education
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (71.2% of respondents)
- Related experience
- None (38.3%)
- On-the-job training
- Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month (31.7%)
- Preparation level
- O*NET job zone 2: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Licensing
- Not yet verified. Check your state licensing board.
Check before planning
- Licensing for Biofuels Processing Technicians is not yet verified for any state: check the state licensing board before planning.
- Projection education uses SOC 51-8099 (detailed_parent); it may describe a broader group.
Limits
- Distributions show what current workers or occupational experts report, not legal minimums.
- Requirements vary by employer and state; time to qualify is not estimated.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e3-qualification-1.0.0
Work environment
How the typical conditions of this occupation compare with 911 occupations in O*NET (very low = the lowest fifth).
Levels are relative. Most occupations involve a lot of contact with people, for example, so “very low” can still mean regular contact; the last column shows what workers actually reported.
| Condition | Level | Compared with other occupations | Most common answer (O*NET survey) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contact with others | High | Higher on contact with others than 79% of occupations compared | 75% of surveyed respondents chose “Constant contact with others” |
| Dealing with the public | Low | Lower on dealing with the public than 78% of occupations compared | 37% of surveyed respondents chose “Important” |
| Teamwork | Very high | Higher on teamwork than 86% of occupations compared | 76% of surveyed respondents chose “Extremely important” |
| Freedom to make decisions | High | Higher on freedom to make decisions than 64% of occupations compared | 44% of surveyed respondents chose “A lot of freedom” |
| Time pressure | Moderate | Higher on time pressure than 56% of occupations compared | 60% of surveyed respondents chose “Every day” |
| Conflict situations | Low | Lower on conflict situations than 69% of occupations compared | 52% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a year or more but not every month” |
| Dealing with unpleasant or angry people | Moderate | Higher on dealing with unpleasant or angry people than 59% of occupations compared | 28% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a month or more but not every week” |
| Consequence of error | Very high | Higher on consequence of error than 90% of occupations compared | 52% of surveyed respondents chose “Extremely serious” |
Work-pressure profile
- Time pressure: moderate
- Conflict situations: low
- Dealing with unpleasant or angry people: moderate
- Consequence of error: very high
Each part is shown on its own. There is no combined stress score, and conditions vary by employer and role.
Full answer distributions
Contact with others
- No contact with others: 0%
- Occasional contact with others: 0.92%
- Contact with others about half the time: 0%
- Contact with others most of the time: 24.05%
- Constant contact with others: 75.03%
n = 23, Incumbent 07/2016
Dealing with the public
- Not important at all: 21.64%
- Fairly important: 23.94%
- Important: 37.38%
- Very important: 1.37%
- Extremely important: 15.67%
n = 23, Incumbent 07/2016
Teamwork
- Not important at all: 0%
- Fairly important: 0.46%
- Important: 7.57%
- Very important: 16.12%
- Extremely important: 75.85%
n = 23, Incumbent 07/2016
Freedom to make decisions
- No freedom: 0%
- Very little freedom: 0%
- Limited freedom: 16.97%
- Some freedom: 39.4%
- A lot of freedom: 43.62%
n = 22, Incumbent 07/2016
Time pressure
- Never: 0%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 28.58%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 10.02%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 0.92%
- Every day: 60.48%
n = 23, Incumbent 07/2016
Conflict situations
- Never: 6.33%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 51.98%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 23.94%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 17.29%
- Every day: 0.46%
n = 23, Incumbent 07/2016
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people
- Never: 11.75%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 26.08%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 27.63%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 25.98%
- Every day: 8.56%
n = 23, Incumbent 07/2016
Consequence of error
- Not serious at all: 6.14%
- Fairly serious: 6.14%
- Serious: 15.46%
- Very serious: 20.33%
- Extremely serious: 51.92%
n = 22, Incumbent 07/2016
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O*NET-SOC 51-8099.01 · SOC 51-8099 (detailed_parent, medium confidence) · dataset 2026.10.8