Granulator machine operator
Also known as: granulation operative, pharmaceutical granulation operative, pharmaceutical granulation operator, granulator, pharmaceutical granulation machine operative, granulation operator
About this occupation
Granulator machine operators perform the mixing and granulation of powdered ingredients using mixing and milling machines in order to prepare the ingredients to be compressed into medicinal tablets. They set up the batch size and follow ingredient formulas.
Essential skills and knowledge
- use communication techniques
- perform granulation equipment transfer
- keep stock records
- work in shifts
- disassemble equipment
- keep time accurately
- monitor powdered ingredients
- keep task records
- good manufacturing practices
- adhere to standard procedures
- assemble machines
- oversee granulation operations
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders (O*NET 51-9011.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Observe safety precautions to prevent fires or explosions.
- Patrol work areas to detect leaks or equipment malfunctions or to monitor operating conditions.
- Monitor gauges, recording instruments, flowmeters, or products to ensure that specified conditions are maintained.
- Inspect equipment or units to detect leaks or malfunctions, shutting equipment down, if necessary.
- Record operational data, such as temperatures, pressures, ingredients used, processing times, or test results.
- Draw samples of products at specified stages so that analyses can be performed.
- Preparation
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Interests
- Realistic, Conventional, Investigative
Top skills: Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Monitoring, Reading Comprehension, Judgment and Decision Making, Time Management
US median pay: US$58,040 a year (2025), 139,630 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- ChemistryO*NET: ChemistryVery important (4.0)
- Mathematics or StatisticsO*NET: MathematicsVery important (3.5)
- MetalworkO*NET: MechanicalImportant (3.1)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 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. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- 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.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 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. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
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O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 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. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.