Material Moving Workers

How to become a Conveyor Operator or Tender

Official title: Conveyor Operators and Tenders

Also called: Chipper Operator, Conveyor Operator, Conveyor Tender, Flumer, Machine Operator, Package Line Operator, Packaging Line Operator, Process Line Operator, Process Operator, Strapper Operator

Control or tend conveyors or conveyor systems that move materials or products to and from stockpiles, processing stations, departments, or vehicles. May control speed and routing of materials or products.

Main tasks

Stop equipment or machinery and clear jams, using poles, bars, and hand tools, or remove damaged materials from conveyors.
Load, unload, or adjust materials or products on conveyors by hand, by using lifts, hoists, and scoops, or by opening gates, chutes, or hoppers.
Observe conveyor operations and monitor lights, dials, and gauges to maintain specified operating levels and to detect equipment malfunctions.
Observe packages moving along conveyors to identify packages, detect defective packaging, and perform quality control.
Position deflector bars, gates, chutes, or spouts to divert flow of materials from one conveyor onto another conveyor.
Clean, sterilize, and maintain equipment, machinery, and work stations, using hand tools, shovels, brooms, chemicals, hoses, and lubricants.
Record production data such as weights, types, quantities, and storage locations of materials, as well as equipment performance problems and downtime.
Inform supervisors of equipment malfunctions that need to be addressed.

How to become one

Education requirements vary by occupation. Crane and tower operators typically need work experience in a related occupation.

Typical education to start: No formal educational credential

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

Apprenticeship: Conveyor System Operator.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $42,420 a year The middle half earn $38,180 to $48,530.
About 29,000 people work in this job now, and about 28,200 are projected by 2035. (-2.6%)
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Conveyor Operator or Tender?

Education requirements vary by occupation. Crane and tower operators typically need work experience in a related occupation.

How much does a Conveyor Operator or Tender earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $42,420 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $38,180 to $48,530.

Is a Conveyor Operator or Tender a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to fall 3% by 2035, from about 29,000 to about 28,200 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Conveyor Operator or Tender?

Usually not. Only 7% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Conveyor System Operator.

Will AI change the work of a Conveyor Operator or Tender?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

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.