How to become a compressor operator
Official title: Compressor operator
Also called: Air-compressor operator, Gas-compressor operator, Power plant operator (compressed air), Air-compressor operator, Gas-compressor operator
Compressor operator operates and monitors steam, gas, electric motor, or internal combustion-engine driven compressors. He/she starts the power unit and builds up required pressure, manipulates controls or sets the automatic regulator to maintain a supply of air to equipment, observes pressure, temperature and other gauges and makes further adjustments to control as necessary. He/she cleans and oils equipment, tightens loose parts and performs other servicing tasks to keep the compressor in good running order.
Main tasks
- Inspecting equipment and monitoring operating conditions, meters, filters, chlorinators and gauges in central control rooms to determine load requirements, to verify that flows, pressures and temperatures are within specification, and to detect malfunctions
- Performing security and safety checks in plant and on grounds
- Completing and maintaining plant logs and reports
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.
Related jobs
- Stationary engine operator
- Pumping station operator
- Water treatment machine operator (waterworks)
- Refrigeration system operator
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Questions people ask
Will AI change the work of a compressor operator?
Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.
Sources
- International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
Updated 4 October 2026