Agricultural Equipment Operators

Description

Drive and control farm equipment to till soil and to plant, cultivate, and harvest crops. May perform tasks, such as crop baling or hay bucking. May operate stationary equipment to perform post-harvest tasks, such as husking, shelling, threshing, and ginning.

Tasks

Adjust, repair, and service farm machinery and notify supervisors when machinery malfunctions.
Observe and listen to machinery operation to detect equipment malfunctions.
Irrigate soil, using portable pipes or ditch systems, and maintain ditches or pipes and pumps.
Mix specified materials or chemicals, and dump solutions, powders, or seeds into planter or sprayer machinery.
Operate or tend equipment used in agricultural production, such as tractors, combines, and irrigation equipment.
Manipulate controls to set, activate, and adjust mechanisms on machinery.
Direct and monitor the activities of work crews engaged in planting, weeding, or harvesting activities.
Load hoppers, containers, or conveyors to feed machines with products, using forklifts, transfer augers, suction gates, shovels, or pitchforks.
Spray fertilizer or pesticide solutions to control insects, fungus and weed growth, and diseases, using hand sprayers.
Attach farm implements such as plows, discs, sprayers, or harvesters to tractors, using bolts and hand tools.
Operate towed machines such as seed drills or manure spreaders to plant, fertilize, dust, and spray crops.
Drive trucks to haul crops, supplies, tools, or farm workers.
Walk beside or ride on planting machines while inserting plants in planter mechanisms at specified intervals.
Weigh crop-filled containers, and record weights and other identifying information.
Load and unload crops or containers of materials, manually or using conveyors, handtrucks, forklifts, or transfer augers.
Guide products on conveyors to regulate flow through machines, and to discard diseased or rotten products.
Position boxes or attach bags at discharge ends of machinery to catch products, removing and closing full containers.

Knowledge

Food Production: Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
Chemistry: Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
Administration and Management: Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Design: Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Building and Construction: Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
Personnel and Human Resources: Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Skills

Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Equipment Maintenance: Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Repairing: Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Troubleshooting: Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Abilities

Control Precision: The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
Multilimb Coordination: The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
Near Vision: The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Oral Comprehension: The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Arm-Hand Steadiness: The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
Manual Dexterity: The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Depth Perception: The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.

Work Activities

Handling and Moving Objects: Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
Controlling Machines and Processes: Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment: Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
Performing General Physical Activities: Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material: Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment: Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Work Context

Face-to-Face Discussions: How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Telephone: How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls: How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
Contact With Others: How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
Spend Time Bending or Twisting the Body: How much does this job require bending or twisting your body?
Responsibility for Outcomes and Results: How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People: How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
Spend Time Walking and Running: How much does this job require walking and running?
Spend Time Standing: How much does this job require standing?
Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment: How important is it to this job that the pace is determined by the speed of equipment or machinery? (This does not refer to keeping busy at all times on this job.)

Interests

Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Work Style

Attention to Detail: Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Analytical Thinking: Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Self Control: Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Stress Tolerance: Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Independence: Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Initiative: Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Concern for Others: Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Achievement/Effort: Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Persistence: Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Dependability: Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

Work Values

Support: Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Independence: Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Achievement: Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Relationships: Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Working Conditions: Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Recognition: Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.

Related Occupations

Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop

Fishers and Related Fishing Workers

Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

Automotive Body and Related Repairers

Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians

Riggers

Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders

Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders

Crane and Tower Operators

Lay Titles

Agricultural Plow Operator

Baler

Baler Operator

Bean Picker Machine Operator

Berry Picker Machine Operator

Broomcorn Thresher

Bulbs Farmworker

Cane Flume Chute Operator

Cane Flume Feeding Machine Operator

Cane Piler

Chopper Operator

Combine Driver

Combine Operator

Corn Cutter

Corn Husker Machine Operator

Cotton Baler

Cotton Chopper

Cotton Ginner

Cotton Picker Operator

Cotton Stripper

Cultivator

Custom Harvester

Cutter Operator

Dairy Machine Operator Farmworker

Diversified Crops Farmworker

Equipment Operator

Equipment Operator Wage Hand

Farm Equipment Operator

Farm Hand

Farm Laborer

Farm Machine Tender

Farm Manager

Farm Tractor Operator

Farm Worker

Farmer

Fertilizer Applicator

Fertilizing Machine Operator

Field Crop Farmworker

Field Crops Harvest Machine Operator

Field Hauler

Fruit Farmworker

Fruit Harvest Machine Operator

Fruit Harvester, Machine Operator

Fruit Loader, Machine Operator

Fruit Picker, Machine Operator

Fruit Thinner, Machine Operator

General Farmworker

Gin Operator

Ginner

Ginning Operator

Grain Combine Driver

Grain Combiner

Grain Farmworker

Grain Thresher

Harvester Operator

Hay Baler

Hay Chopper

Hay Rake Operator

Hay Stacker Operator

Irrigation Worker

Laborer

Lime Spreader

Liquid Fertilizer Servicer

Loader Operator

Machine Farmworker

Machine Milker

Machine Operator Cane Cutter

Machine Operator Farmworker

Machine Operator Hay Stacker

Machine Operator Hop Picker

Machine Operator Hop Worker

Machine Operator Picker

Machine Operator Replanter

Machine Operator Transplanter

Machine Pecan Gatherer

National Wages and Employment Info

Median Wages (2008):: $12.43 hourly, $25,860 annual.

Employment (2008):: 22,820 employees