How to Become a Field Operator?

Want to become a field operator but aren’t sure if it’s the right choice for you?

You don’t need to worry anymore!

This article will list the field operators’ responsibilities, skills, educational requirements, and how you can become one. Moreover, we will also let you know about the average field operator’s salary and how you can secure a field operator job in Canada.

Enough info to help you decide if it’s a great career path, right?

So without any further ado, let’s dive into this article.

What Do Field Operators Do?

Following are the field operator’s responsibilities and duties that you’ll have to perform when hired to work in a field operator job:

• Comprehending and carrying out safety obligations like risk detection, machinery deactivation, rescue operations, and adhering to safe work procedures.
• Guarantee that all security and environmental regulations are followed.
• Assisting operational, servicing, and administrative workers in communicating effectively.
• Running field machinery reliably and proficiently.
• Collaborating with the Chief Operator to analyze process issues and recognize the possibilities for development and optimization.
• Assessing field pump performance and infrastructure status employing Cygnet systems.
• Ensuring maximum housekeeping standards across the site and facilities.
• Supervising basic and routine upkeep tasks.
• Ascertaining that work orders for repair activities are recorded and fulfilled.
• Keeping appropriate logs, such as plant reports, service history, health, environmental records, etc.
• Helping in the completion of projects, especially turnarounds.
• Keeping track of critical performance measures, including sales, downtime, and revenue lost.

Steps to Become a Field Operator

You need to follow these steps to become a field operator:

1. Look out for the best colleges and universities and get yourself enrolled in the relevant programs.
2. Acquire a high school diploma or GED in process operation, sciences, or a related subject.
3. Earn a four-year bachelor’s degree in Business, General Studies, Electrical Engineering, or Computer Science.
4. Obtain an associate’s or master’s degree in similar subjects.
5. Adhere to a strict working routine even in elevated stress conditions.
6. Attain Power Engineering and OSHA Safety Certification.
7. Develop appropriate field operator skills such as technical problem-solving, engineering support, and mechanical proficiency to function precisely and effectively on the field operator job.

Skills Required for Field Operator

Here is a list of the field operator skills that you need to acquire:

Problem-Solving Skills

Recognizing and examining relevant knowledge to generate, analyze, and propose solutions to complex issues and challenging situations.

System Evaluation

Figuring out how a system should operate and how variations in circumstances, functions, and the surroundings will affect the system’s outputs.

Critical Thinking

Determining the strong and weak points of various solutions, findings, or problem-solving approaches employing rational thinking and reasoning.

Performance Monitoring

Overseeing and evaluating your own, other workers, or the company’s productivity to make improvements or take immediate measures.

Machine Servicing

Conducting regular servicing on machinery and identifying when and what type of repair is required.

Quality Control Assessment

The performing quality or performance testing and assessments on items, commodities, or procedures.

Average Salary of a Field Operator

There are many high-paying jobs in Canada. The average field operator salary is CAD 52,000 per year in Canada, which translates to CAD 26.67 per hour.

Entry-level field operator jobs have a starting salary of CAD 42,800 per year or CAD 21.95 per hour. On the other hand, the most experienced field operators earn up to CAD 75,961 per year or CAD 38.95 per hour.

Educational Requirements for the Field Operator

You can pursue any of the following degrees or qualifications  to become a field operator in Canada:

• Diploma
• High school diploma
• Bachelor’s degree
• Associate’s degree
• Master’s degree

How to Get a Job as a Field Operator in Canada

These are the requirements you can fulfill to gain a field operator job in Canada:

1. Complete education till grade 12.
2. Attain a bachelor’s or master’s degree in relevant subjects.
3. Acquire at least two-three years of experience in Maintenance or Operations.
4. Obtain GPO A-D or PFO A-D Certification.
5. Get Journeyperson Certification.
6. Earn 4th Class Power Engineering Certification.
7. Clear the mandatory driving test to obtain a Valid Class 5 driver’s license.
8. Attain an H2S Alive License.
9. Develop strong skills in computer applications like PVR, MS Word, MS Excel, and MS Outlook.
10. Clear the pre-alcohol and drug tests.

If you are looking for a reliable platform to apply for field operator jobs, you can head to our job listings. We are a leading employment agency in Canada, providing many jobs in different industries.

Conclusion

Field operators primarily work in the mining or oil and gas production industries, running and repairing heavy machinery. The field operator job necessitates them to go to multiple well locations, sand mines, and trans-loading sites. They are skilled at assessing characteristics, maintaining machinery, and regulating engine settings.

Suppose you are looking to become a field operator. In that case, you need to acquire a high school diploma or a bachelor’s degree, earn relevant certifications, and develop skills like problem-solving, mechanical proficiency, etc.

We hope this article helped you decide if a field operator job is a good fit for you. If you are still not clear, kindly let us know in the comments section. We’ll be more than happy to assist you.

If you want to know if working in the oil and gas industry is a good career path, you can check out this article.

The Primus Workforce team is proudly built on hands-on industry knowledge and experience.