Machine Operators

Machine Operators nec set up, monitor, and operate specialised industrial machinery not classified elsewhere, such as printing presses, textile looms, packaging equipment, or food processing machines. They perform routine maintenance, troubleshoot equipment faults, adjust settings to specifications, and ensure output quality and production targets are met in manufacturing or processing environments. The role requires compliance with workplace safety standards and understanding of machine-specific operating procedures.

Set up machinery by installing dies, plates, rollers, or tooling according to job specifications or work orders. Monitor machine operation during production runs, observing gauges, digital readouts, and product output for deviations from standard parameters. Adjust machine settings such as speed, temperature, pressure, or tension to maintain product quality and meet production specifications. Perform routine maintenance tasks including cleaning, lubricating, and replacing worn parts such as belts, filters, or seals. Diagnose equipment malfunctions by testing components, reviewing error codes, and identifying the cause of stoppages or quality issues. Conduct pre-shift and post-shift safety checks on machinery, guards, emergency stops, and electrical systems in accordance with Safe Work Australia guidelines. Load raw materials such as paper, fabric, containers, or food products into machine hoppers or feed mechanisms. Unload and inspect finished products for defects, dimensional accuracy, or surface quality, and segregate rejects.

The standard entry pathway requires a Certificate II or III (ABS skill level 4). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

You'll be stuck in shift work, including nights and weekends, because factories run 24/7. The pay ceiling is real: you won't earn much more than your starting wage even after 10 years. Automation may replace some of these roles over time, so job security isn't guaranteed. Most positions are in regional manufacturing hubs far from cities.

Remote work isn't an option. Most positions are in industrial estates outside metro centres.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 7111, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Attention to Detailcore
• Basic Arithmetic and Numerical Accuracycore
• Cast concrete sectionscore
• Incident Reportingcore
• Inventory Trackingcore
• Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Quality Assurance and Checkingcore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Team Collaborationcore
• Time Managementcore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Workload Self-Managementcore
• Active Listening
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Clean mixer
• Continuous Learning and Upskilling
• Data Entry and Accuracy
• Goods Receipt Processing
• Process Improvement Identification
• Regulatory and Legislative Awareness
• Stock Counting and Stocktake

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

Last updated: 30 October 2026