Plastics and Rubber Production Machine Operators

Operates and monitors specialised machinery in plastics and rubber manufacturing plants to produce components, sheets, films, or moulded products. Performs setup, adjustments, quality checks, and maintenance tasks on extruders, injection moulders, compression presses, calendering machines, and related equipment according to production schedules and product specifications.

Set up production machinery by installing dies, moulds, and tooling according to job specifications and engineering drawings. Adjust machine parameters including temperature, pressure, speed, and cycle time to achieve specified product dimensions and properties. Monitor machine gauges, digital displays, and alarms during production runs to ensure consistent operation within tolerances. Feed raw materials such as plastic pellets or rubber compounds into hoppers and feed systems. Inspect finished products for defects including warping, discolouration, dimensional variation, and surface imperfections. Perform routine preventative maintenance tasks including cleaning equipment, checking fluid levels, and lubricating moving parts. Troubleshoot machine faults by identifying causes of output rejection and reporting issues to maintenance technicians. Record production data including batch numbers, material quantities, machine settings, and output volumes in production logs.

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.

The work is repetitive and physically demanding with long shifts on your feet monitoring machines. You'll deal with heat, noise, and chemical fumes from melted plastics and rubber compounds. Career progression is limited: most operators stay in the same role for years. Manufacturing plants are increasingly automating, so job security isn't guaranteed. Pay is modest for the conditions you'll work in.

Plastics and rubber factories are tied to established industrial areas: remote work isn't an option. Most jobs are permanent but shift-based (early, late, weekends common).

Published for ANZSCO unit group 7115, 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
• Incident Reportingcore
• Inventory Trackingcore
• Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Process Improvement Identificationcore
• Quality Assurance and Checkingcore
• Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Team Collaborationcore
• Time Management and Prioritisationcore
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Continuous Learning and Upskilling
• Data Entry and Accuracy
• ERP and Inventory Systems
• Record Management
• Stock Counting and Stocktake
• Verbal Communication
• Workload Self-Management

• 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