Rubber Production Machine Operator

A rubber production machine operator monitors and controls manufacturing equipment in rubber processing facilities to produce tyres, seals, gaskets, and other rubber products to specification. They operate mixing mills, extruders, moulding presses, and vulcanising equipment, adjusting parameters such as temperature, pressure, and processing time whilst ensuring output meets quality standards and safety protocols.

Set up rubber mixing mills by loading compound batches, adjusting roller gaps, and calibrating temperature controls to specified processing parameters. Monitor extrusion machinery during rubber compound processing, observing output consistency and adjusting screw speed and barrel temperature to maintain dimensional tolerances. Operate injection or compression moulding presses to shape rubber compounds into finished products, programming cure times and pressure settings for different product specifications. Load and position rubber blanks, inserts, or pre-forms into vulcanising equipment and set cure cycles according to product specifications and Safe Work Australia guidelines. Monitor temperature and pressure gauges during vulcanisation cycles, recording data and identifying deviations that require adjustment or machine shutdown. Inspect finished rubber products for defects such as flash, voids, surface irregularities, or dimensional inconsistencies using visual inspection and measuring tools. Remove finished products from moulds and equipment, trimming excess material or flash using hand tools or automated trimming equipment. Perform routine preventive maintenance tasks including cleaning equipment surfaces, checking and replenishing cooling water or lubricants, and replacing worn seals or gaskets.

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 physically demanding and repetitive, often involving shift work including nights and weekends in continuous production facilities. You'll spend hours standing at machines in hot, noisy conditions monitoring gauges and adjusting parameters. Pay is modest and unlikely to rise significantly without moving into supervisory roles. Automation is gradually replacing operators in newer facilities.

Most positions are in established manufacturing hubs near tyre plants, automotive suppliers, and industrial estates. These are on-site roles with no remote work. Jobs follow where rubber factories operate, mainly in metro areas with some regional manufacturing centres.

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.

• Adaptability and Flexibilitycore
• Adjust the rubber machinescore
• 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
• Active Listening
• Continuous Learning and Upskilling
• Data Entry and Accuracy
• ERP and Inventory Systems
• Goods Receipt Processing
• 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