About the job
Operator - Power Plant
Control, operate, or maintain machinery to generate electric power. Includes auxiliary equipment operators.
Top activities and tasks for this job:
- Adjust controls to generate specified electrical power or to regulate the flow of power between generating stations and substations.
- Monitor power plant equipment and indicators to detect evidence of operating problems.
- Control generator output to match the phase, frequency, or voltage of electricity supplied to panels.
- Control or maintain auxiliary equipment, such as pumps, fans, compressors, condensers, feedwater heaters, filters, or chlorinators, to supply water, fuel, lubricants, air, or auxiliary power.
- Control power generating equipment, including boilers, turbines, generators, or reactors, using control boards or semi-automatic equipment.
- Operate, control, or monitor equipment, such as acid or gas carbon dioxide removal units, carbon dioxide compressors, or pipelines, to capture, store, or transport carbon dioxide exhaust.
- Controlling Machines and Processes
- Start or stop generators, auxiliary pumping equipment, turbines, or other power plant equipment as necessary.
About the test (Full Version)
The Operator - Power Plant Pre-Employment Assessment was designed to help you hire staff in this role. The test provides a whole-person evaluation by measuring job-relevant cognitive ability, personality, knowledge, skills, and relevant behavioral history.
Each component provides important data for hiring decisions. Cognitive ability has been linked to overall job performance in most jobs and correlates with a candidate's
ability to learn new skills and to solve complex problems. Personality characteristics determine how well the candidate will fit-in with a corporate culture. Knowledge and skills indicate how much training will be needed before a new employee becomes productive. Finally, relevant behavioral history detects counter-productive behaviors that can impact job performance.
The Operator - Power Plant test includes an animated work simulation in which candidates meet customers, colleagues and supervisors in a job-related context. Post-test surveys indicate the majority of candidates react favorably to these simulations.
This test also contains an automatically-scored essay component. Writing is a key skill for many jobs and also demonstrates the ability to generate, organize, and communicate relevant ideas effectively.
The specific attributes measured include:
Cognitive Ability
- Analytical Thinking and Attention to Detail
- Mechanical Aptitude
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Knowledge and Skills
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Personality
- Adaptability
- Drive
- Integrity
- Resilience
- Teamwork
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Emotional Intelligence
- Empathy and Emotional Self-Control
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Behavioral History
- History Survey - Performance
- History Survey - Tenure
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Following completion, the test produces a Candidate Selection Report that includes an overall score and detailed scores for each attribute. The overall score weighs each of the factors based on research and analysis from the U.S. Government's Occupational Information Network (O*Net). O*Net represents over a decade of dedicated research evaluating the relative importance of various factors that lead to success in almost 1,000 different job roles.
The Candidate Selection Report also provides expert interview questions that help you probe critical or low-scoring areas, along with a guide for noting your evaluation of the candidate's responses. Consistent use of an interview guide is an important part of gaining better candidate insights and making better hiring decisions.
More information about this Job
Annual US Wages (2023) |
Bottom 10%: | | $54,080 or less |
Bottom 25%: | | $72,860 or less |
Median: | | $97,010 (Average) |
Top 25%: | | $106,780 or more |
Top 10%: | | $123,120 or more |
Hourly US Wages (2023) |
Bottom 10%: | | $26.00 or less |
Bottom 25%: | | $35.03 or less |
Median: | | $46.64 (Average) |
Top 25%: | | $51.34 or more |
Top 10%: | | $59.19 or more |
US Employment Statistics |
2023: | | 32,400 |
2033 (projected): | | 29,300 |
Annual U.S. Job Openings: | 2,500 |
Top Knowledge Requirements
- Mechanical
- English Language
- Public Safety and Security
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Top Skills
- Operations Monitoring
- Operation and Control
- Critical Thinking
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Quality Control Analysis
- Monitoring
- Judgment and Decision Making
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Top Abilities
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Problem Sensitivity
- Deductive Reasoning
- Near Vision
- Inductive Reasoning
- Information Ordering
- Written Comprehension
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Education Requirements |
High School Diploma: | | 74% |
Post-Secondary Certificate: | | 21% |
Associate's Degree (2 yr): | | 3% |
This graphic shows the percentage of people in this role who have their highest education in each category. |
Related Work Experience Requirements |
None: | | 30% |
6 Months - 1 Year: | | 3% |
1 - 2 Years: | | 17% |
2 - 4 Years: | | 16% |
4 - 6 Years: | | 19% |
6 - 8 Years: | | 6% |
More than 10 Years: | | 6% |
This graphic shows the percentage of people in this role whose related work experience before they entered this position falls into each category. |
Alternate Titles for this Role: Asphalt Plant Operator, Auxiliary Equipment Tender, Auxiliary Operator, Auxiliary Power Equipment Operator, Batch Plant Operator, Booster Operator, Booster Plant Operator, Booster Pump Operator, Carbon Capture Power Plant Engineer, Carbon Capture Power Plant Operator, Carbon Sequestration Plant Engineer, Carbon Sequestration Plant Operator, Coal Gasification Technician, Cogeneration Technician, Control Center Operator, Control Operator, Control Room Operator, Electric Operator, Gas Plant Technician, Gas Technician, Generator Operator, High Pressure Firer, Hydro Plant Operator, Hydro Station Operator, Hydroelectric Operator, Hydroelectric Plant Operator, Hydroelectric Plant Power Generation Engineer, Hydroelectric Station Operator, Hydrogen Plant Operator, Hydrogen Power Plant Engineer, ICE Technician (Instrumentation, Controls, and Electrical Systems Technician), Instrument and Control Technician, Landfill Gas Collecting System Technician, Landfill Gas Collection System Technician, Landfill Gas Generating System Technician, Landfill Gas Generation System Technician, Landfill Gas Plant Field Technician, Landfill Gas Systems Monitor, Landfill Gas Technician, Methane Gas Generating System Technician, Methane Gas Generation System Technician, Multicraft Operator (MCO), Natural Gas Technician, Operations and Maintenance Specialist (O&M Specialist), Operations and Maintenance Technician (O & M Technician), Operator, Outside Plant Technician, Pilot Plant Technician, Plant Control Operator, Plant Operator, Plant Technician, Power Generating Plant Operator, Power Generation Technician, Power Operator, Power Plant Control Room Operator, Power Plant Operator, Power Plant Technician, Power Station Operator, Powerhouse Attendant, Powerhouse Operator, Powerhouse Tender, Process Operator, Production Generalist, Rectifier, Rectifier Operator, Relief Operator, Station Operator, Station Tender, Steam Turbine Operator, Turbine Operator, Turbine Room Attendant, Turbo Electric Operator, Turbo Operator, Unit Operator, Utility Plant Operative, Utility Plant Operator, Wellfield Technician
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