How to become a gas compressor operator
Official title: Gas compressor operator
Also called: Gas plant operator, Compressor technician, Gas carboniser operator, Gas chargehand, Gas compressor turbine operator
Gas compressor operators maintain and use compressor engines, pumps and other equipment to recover and control gases like butane and hydrogen.
Main tasks
- Control pumps and compressors to move gas
- Monitor machine gauges and screens
- Record gas flow and pressure information
- Collect gas samples
- Test samples for safety
- Clean machines and tools
- Keep work areas safe and clean
How to become one
You usually need a qualification or experience to become a gas compressor operator. You usually need NCEA Level 2 To do the study or training for this job. Other requirements: a New Zealand Certificate in Energy and Chemical Process Operations (Level 3); a New Zealand Certificate in Energy and Chemical Process Operations (Level 5); a bachelor's degree in process and resources engineering, mechanical and industrial engineering and technology or similar area; experience in similar work; a driver licence with a special-type vehicle endorsement.
Ways in
- University: Engineering degrees, Offered by 5 universities in New Zealand
- Certificates and diplomas: Entry certificates in manufacturing engineering. TEC links this job to study in manufacturing engineering and technology. Qualifications: NZ Cert in Manufacturing. Usually 4 months. Graduates of these qualifications earn a median $36,000 a year one year after study; 27% are employed one year after (TEC, from Stats NZ IDI data).
Pay
- Most common pay: $92,694 to $117,605 a year (median $108,274), a TEC estimate before tax.
- Lower: $77,114 a year · Upper: $126,935 a year
- TEC's pay figures are estimates only. TEC says they must not be used to set pay, in pay negotiations or in visa applications.
Who does this work
- About 54 people did this job at the 2023 Census (TEC).
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Questions people ask
How do I become a gas compressor operator?
You usually need a qualification or experience to become a gas compressor operator. You usually need NCEA Level 2 To do the study or training for this job. Other requirements: a New Zealand Certificate in Energy and Chemical Process Operations (Level 3); a New Zealand Certificate in Energy and Chemical Process Operations (Level 5); a bachelor's degree in process and resources engineering, mechanical and industrial engineering and technology or similar area; experience in similar work; a driver licence with a special-type vehicle endorsement.
How much does a gas compressor operator earn in New Zealand?
The Tertiary Education Commission estimates median pay at $108,274 a year, before tax. Most common pay is $92,694 to $117,605 a year.
Sources
- Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatu Career Navigator): Tahatu career ideas: descriptions, tasks, pay estimates, people employed, employment change 2018 to 2023, entry requirements, registration, interest scores (Site scrape 2026-10 (816 career ideas, sitemap lastmod 2026-10-01)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
This content is sourced from the Tertiary Education Commission through the Tahatū Career Navigator website (www.tahatu.govt.nz) and used under the CC BY 4.0 licence. All or some of the information has been modified by Peernovo. TEC has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. TEC will not be held accountable for any errors within this content.
Qualification information from NZQA, used under CC BY 3.0 NZ.
This work is based on/includes Stats NZ's data which are licensed by Stats NZ for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. Census data via Figure.NZ.
Includes information from O*NET OnLine 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. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Sources: Tertiary Education Commission, Tahatū Career Navigator (career ideas, pay estimates, entry requirements and study options, CC BY 4.0, modified by Peernovo); Stats NZ, 2023 Census (via Figure.NZ) and the National Occupation List (CC BY 4.0); NZQA qualification information (CC BY 3.0 NZ); O*NET interest scores (CC BY 4.0); ILO global generative AI exposure index (CC BY 4.0). Links between career ideas and ANZSCO groups, degree fields and broad job groups are Peernovo's.
These results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), which is carefully managed by Stats NZ.
Graduate outcomes: these results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), which is carefully managed by Stats NZ.
Updated 4 October 2026