Materials and Chemical Process Workers

Performs manual and routine operational tasks in materials processing and chemical manufacturing facilities, including handling raw materials, monitoring equipment during production runs, and packaging finished products. Works under the supervision of technicians or process operators, following standardised procedures and safety protocols specific to the materials or chemicals being processed. Operates in factory, plant, or laboratory environments where precision, attention to detail, and compliance with workplace health and safety regulations are essential.

Load raw materials into processing equipment such as mixers, furnaces, reactors, or conveyor systems according to job specifications and batch documentation. Monitor process parameters including temperature, pressure, flow rates, and chemical concentrations during production runs using gauges, displays, or data acquisition systems. Maintain cleaning and sanitation of production areas, equipment, and containers using approved cleaning agents and procedures to prevent contamination and comply with food safety or chemical handling standards. Package finished products into containers, apply labels with batch numbers and dates, and stack materials for storage or dispatch following packaging specifications. Report equipment malfunctions, unusual process readings, or safety hazards to supervisors and document incidents in production logs or safety systems. Weigh and measure materials using scales, graduated containers, or volumetric equipment to ensure correct proportions before adding to processes. Operate material handling equipment such as forklifts, pallet jacks, or hoists to move heavy items within the facility. Wear and inspect personal protective equipment (PPE) including respirators, safety glasses, gloves, and protective clothing appropriate to chemical or material hazards.

The standard entry pathway requires a Certificate I or compulsory secondary education (ABS skill level 5). 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.

The work is genuinely monotonous: you'll repeat the same loading, monitoring and packaging tasks shift after shift with little variety. Pay is modest and capped unless you move into supervising roles. Chemical exposure, even with PPE, carries real health risks that only show up years later. Shift work (nights, weekends) is standard in most facilities.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 8392, 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.

• Active Listeningcore
• Attention to Detailcore
• Basic Arithmetic and Numerical Accuracycore
• Goods Receipt Processingcore
• Incident Reportingcore
• Inventory Trackingcore
• Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Quality Assurance and Checkingcore
• Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Team Collaborationcore
• Time Managementcore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Calculate materials to build equipment
• Clean building floors
• Clean equipment
• Clean surfaces
• Cleaning products
• Continuous Learning and Upskilling
• ERP and Inventory Systems
• Process Documentation
• Process Improvement Identification
• Stock Counting and Stocktake
• Workload Self-Management
• Written Communication

• 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