Torchora
Back to Home

Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for a Heat Transfer Operator

💰 $28 - $42 per hour

ManufacturingOperationsSkilled TradesIndustrial

🎯 Role Definition

As a Heat Transfer Operator, you will be the frontline expert responsible for the safe and efficient operation, monitoring, and maintenance of our plant's vital heat transfer and thermal processing equipment. This includes industrial boilers, heat exchangers, evaporators, chillers, and thermal fluid systems. You will play a crucial role in maintaining process stability, ensuring product quality specifications are met, and upholding the highest standards of safety and compliance. This hands-on position requires a proactive individual with strong mechanical aptitude and the ability to troubleshoot complex systems under pressure, ensuring our production goals are met without compromising safety or efficiency.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Junior Process Operator
  • Maintenance Technician Trainee
  • Production Associate

Advancement To:

  • Senior Heat Transfer Operator / Lead Operator
  • Shift Supervisor or Team Lead
  • Process Controls Technician

Lateral Moves:

  • Maintenance Technician
  • Quality Control Inspector

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Operate, monitor, and control complex heat transfer equipment, including high-pressure boilers, thermal oil heaters, chillers, and plate-and-frame heat exchangers, via a distributed control system (DCS) or local control panels.
  • Perform systematic and safe start-up and shutdown procedures for all thermal processing equipment in strict accordance with established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
  • Continuously monitor critical process variables, such as temperature, pressure, flow rates, and fluid levels, making precise adjustments to maintain operations within defined control limits.
  • Execute all Lockout/Tagout (LOTO), confined space entry, and hot work permit procedures to ensure a safe work environment during maintenance and cleaning activities.
  • Conduct routine operator-level inspections and preventative maintenance tasks, including lubricating moving parts, cleaning strainers, checking seals, and tightening connections to prevent equipment failure.
  • Troubleshoot process upsets and equipment malfunctions in real-time, applying logical problem-solving techniques to identify root causes and implement effective corrective actions to minimize downtime.
  • Collect and analyze process samples, performing quality control tests on water chemistry, product viscosity, or other key parameters to ensure they meet required specifications.
  • Maintain meticulous and accurate operational logs, shift reports, and digital data entries, documenting all process changes, maintenance activities, and significant events for compliance and handover.
  • Safely handle and transfer process chemicals and materials used in the heat transfer systems, adhering to all safety data sheet (SDS) guidelines and using appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
  • Respond promptly and effectively to system alarms and emergencies, following established emergency response protocols to secure equipment and ensure personnel safety.
  • Collaborate closely with the maintenance department to diagnose complex mechanical or electrical issues and assist during scheduled repairs, overhauls, and preventative maintenance campaigns.
  • Regulate the flow of materials and energy through the systems, ensuring efficient use of resources like fuel, steam, and electricity to meet production targets and control costs.
  • Perform equipment changeovers and clean-in-place (CIP) or clean-out-of-place (COP) procedures between production runs to ensure product integrity and prevent cross-contamination.
  • Monitor and maintain ancillary support systems essential for heat transfer operations, such as cooling towers, air compressors, vacuum pumps, and water treatment units.
  • Ensure all work areas are kept clean, organized, and free of hazards, actively participating in 5S or similar housekeeping and organizational initiatives.

Secondary Functions

  • Mentor and train new or junior operators on equipment operation, safety procedures, and standard operating protocols to build team competency.
  • Participate in Process Hazard Analysis (PHA), safety audits, and incident investigations, providing valuable frontline input to improve plant safety and operational procedures.
  • Support engineering and continuous improvement teams with data collection and operational trials for process optimization projects.
  • Manage the inventory of essential operating supplies, such as lubricants, testing reagents, and filter media, initiating purchase requisitions as needed.
  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
  • Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Proficiency in operating and troubleshooting industrial heat transfer systems (e.g., boilers, thermal fluid heaters, chillers, heat exchangers).
  • Experience with process control systems such as DCS (Distributed Control System), SCADA, or PLCs.
  • Comprehensive knowledge of Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) procedures and other industrial safety standards (e.g., confined space entry, hot work).
  • Ability to read and interpret technical documents, including Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs), process flow diagrams (PFDs), and equipment manuals.
  • Strong mechanical aptitude for performing hands-on minor maintenance, adjustments, and troubleshooting.
  • Experience with industrial water treatment chemistry, including testing and adjusting boiler feedwater and cooling tower water.
  • Forklift and/or other mobile equipment operation certification.
  • Competency in using computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) to log work orders and track maintenance history.

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional attention to detail and a high degree of situational awareness.
  • Robust problem-solving and critical thinking skills, especially when working under pressure.
  • Clear and concise verbal and written communication for effective shift handovers and reporting.
  • Strong sense of personal accountability and a commitment to procedural compliance.
  • Ability to work effectively both independently with minimal supervision and as a collaborative member of a team.
  • A proactive and unwavering commitment to workplace safety for oneself and others.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High School Diploma or GED equivalent.

Preferred Education:

  • Associate's Degree in Process Technology or a related technical field.
  • Technical Certificate in Boiler Operation, Industrial Maintenance, or Power Engineering.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Process Technology
  • Industrial Mechanics
  • Power Engineering Technology
  • Chemical Engineering Technology

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 3-5 years of hands-on experience as a Process Operator or a similar role within a manufacturing, chemical processing, power generation, or food production environment.

Preferred:

  • 5+ years of experience with a focus on high-pressure steam boilers, thermal fluid (hot oil) systems, or large-scale ammonia refrigeration.
  • A valid state or jurisdictional Boiler Operator License or Stationary Engineer License is highly desirable.
Explore More Careers