Careers > Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders

Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders

$36.75K Median Salary 43.1K Job Openings (Annual Projection) 5.4% Job Growth

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About This Career

Operate or tend machines to prepare industrial or consumer products for storage or shipment. Includes cannery workers who pack food products.

Reported Job Titles

Bundler, Closing Machine Operator, Computer Numerical Control Machine Operator (CNC Machine Operator), Filler Operator, Machine Operator, Packaging Operator, Packing Attendant, Packing Machine Operator

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Skills You'll Need

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Abilities

Arm-Hand Steadiness

Control Precision

Manual Dexterity

Near Vision

Oral Comprehension

Oral Expression

Perceptual Speed

Problem Sensitivity

Finger Dexterity

Flexibility of Closure

Information Ordering

Multilimb Coordination

Rate Control

Reaction Time

Selective Attention

Speech Clarity

Speech Recognition

Trunk Strength

Visualization

Knowledge

Production and Processing

Mechanical

Public Safety and Security

Education and Training

English Language

Customer and Personal Service

Mathematics

Skills

Operations Monitoring

Monitoring

Active Listening

Coordination

Operation and Control

Technology Skills

Spreadsheet software

Presentation software

Electronic mail software

Label making software

Enterprise resource planning ERP software

Office suite software

Word processing software

Tools

Screwdrivers

Razor knives

Pallet trucks

Stencils or lettering aids

Tape measures

Calipers

Thickness measuring devices

Hand trucks or accessories

Lifts

Forklifts

Label making machines

Step stool

Claw hammer

Floor or platform scales

Staple guns

Scanners

Utility knives

Sewing machines

Power drills

Locking pliers

Desktop computers

Adjustable wrenches

Wire brushes

Personal computers

Glue guns

Abilities

Arm-Hand Steadiness: The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
Control Precision: The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
Manual Dexterity: The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Near Vision: The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Oral Comprehension: The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Perceptual Speed: The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
Problem Sensitivity: The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
Finger Dexterity: The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
Flexibility of Closure: The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
Information Ordering: The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Multilimb Coordination: The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
Rate Control: The ability to time your movements or the movement of a piece of equipment in anticipation of changes in the speed and/or direction of a moving object or scene.
Reaction Time: The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
Selective Attention: The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Speech Clarity: The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Speech Recognition: The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Trunk Strength: The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without "giving out" or fatiguing.
Visualization: The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.

Knowledge

Production and Processing: Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Mechanical: Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Public Safety and Security: Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Education and Training: Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Mathematics: Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Skills

Operations Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Technology Skills

Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel
Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint
Electronic mail software: IBM Notes; Microsoft Exchange; Microsoft Outlook
Label making software: Inspection marking systems
Enterprise resource planning ERP software: Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne; Oracle PeopleSoft; Oracle PeopleSoft Financials; SAP software
Office suite software: Microsoft Office software
Word processing software: 3M Post-it App; Evernote; Google Docs; Microsoft Word