Packaging and filling machine operator
Also known as: packaging and filling machine worker, packaging and filling operator, packaging and filling operative, packaging and filling worker
About this occupation
Packaging and filling machine operators tend machines for preparing and packing food products in various packaging containers such as jars, cartons, cans, and others.
Essential skills and knowledge
- dispose non-food waste within the food industry
- operate weighing machine
- adhere to organisational guidelines
- check quality of products on the production line
- apply requirements concerning manufacturing of food and beverages
- apply HACCP
- tend packaging machines
- be at ease in unsafe environments
- apply GMP
- follow hygienic procedures during food processing
- follow given instructions
- work in conveyor belts in food manufacturing
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders (O*NET 51-9111.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Attach identification labels to finished packaged items, or cut stencils and stencil information on containers, such as lot numbers or shipping destinations.
- Sort, grade, weigh, and inspect products, verifying and adjusting product weight or measurement to meet specifications.
- Stop or reset machines when malfunctions occur, clear machine jams, and report malfunctions to a supervisor.
- Observe machine operations to ensure quality and conformity of filled or packaged products to standards.
- Remove finished packaged items from machine and separate rejected items.
- Monitor the production line, watching for problems such as pile-ups, jams, or glue that isn't sticking properly.
- Typical education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Preparation
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Interests
- Realistic, Conventional, Enterprising
Top skills: Operations Monitoring, Monitoring, Active Listening, Coordination, Operation and Control, Reading Comprehension
US median pay: US$43,220 a year (2025), 379,060 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).
- MetalworkO*NET: MechanicalVery important (3.5)
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageImportant (3.2)
- Mathematics or StatisticsO*NET: MathematicsImportant (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
- Most common education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- 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.