Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders

Career Overview

Operate or tend machines to bleach, shrink, wash, dye, or finish textiles or synthetic or glass fibers.

Also Known As

Dye Machine Operator
Dye Operator
Dyer
Machine Operator (Machine Op)

Alternate Job Titles

Ager
Ager Operator
Ager Tender
Aging Box Hand
Ammonia Box Operator
Ammonia Box Tender
Ash Kier Boiler
Autoclave Operator
Automation Operator
Automation Tender
Back Washer
Bag Bleacher
Bark Tanner
Beam Dyer
Beam Dyer Operator

What You'll Do

In this role, your typical responsibilities include:

Weigh ingredients, such as dye, to be mixed together for use in textile processing.
Start and control machines and equipment to wash, bleach, dye, or otherwise process and finish fabric, yarn, thread, or other textile goods.
Observe display screens, control panels, equipment, and cloth entering or exiting processes to determine if equipment is operating correctly.
Notify supervisors or mechanics of equipment malfunctions.
Monitor factors such as temperatures and dye flow rates to ensure that they are within specified ranges.
Add dyes, water, detergents, or chemicals to tanks to dilute or strengthen solutions, according to established formulas and solution test results.
Examine and feel products to identify defects and variations from coloring and other processing standards.

Essential Skills

Success in this career requires strong skills in:

Operations Monitoring

Key Abilities

This career requires key abilities in:

Control Precision
Arm-Hand Steadiness
Near Vision
Manual Dexterity
Visual Color Discrimination
Finger Dexterity
Selective Attention
Rate Control
Perceptual Speed
Oral Comprehension

Work Style

People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:

Dependability
Attention to Detail
Cautiousness
Stress Tolerance
Perseverance

What Matters in This Career

This career tends to satisfy these work values:

Support
Relationships
Independence
Working Conditions
Achievement

Education & Preparation

Typical Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month

Education Details: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.

Experience Required: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.

Technology You'll Use

Popular Technologies & Software

Linux
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Office software
Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft PowerPoint
Microsoft Word
SAP software

Tools & Equipment

Adjustable hand wrenches
Beam dyeing machines
Bleaching machines
Continuous dyeing machines
Digital calipers
Dye becks
Dye extractors
Fine spinning machines
Hank reeling machines
Industrial sewing machines
Jet dyeing machines
Material hoists
Measuring tapes
Package dyeing machines
Paddle machines

Work Environment

Exposed to Contaminants
Spend Time Standing
Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets

Salary & Job Market

Salary Percentile	Annual Wage
Entry-Level (10th percentile)	$28,990
Median	$37,320
Top Earners (90th percentile)	$47,660

Workers Employed Nationally: 5,820