How to hire petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Maintain and repair equipment, or report malfunctioning equipment to supervisors so that repairs can be scheduled. • Monitor process indicators, instruments, gauges, and meters to detect and report any possible problems. • Operate control panels to coordinate and regulate process variables such as temperature and pressure, and to direct product flow rate, according to process schedules. • Patrol units to monitor the amount of oil in storage tanks, and to verify that activities and operations are safe, efficient, and in compliance with regulations. • Plan movement of products through lines to processing, storage, and shipping units, using knowledge of system interconnections and capacities. • Signal other workers by telephone or radio to operate pumps, open and close valves, and check temperatures. • Start pumps and open valves or use automated equipment to regulate the flow of oil in pipelines and into and out of tanks. • Verify that incoming and outgoing products are moving through the correct meters, and that meters are working properly. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: High school diploma or equivalent] • Strong monitoring, reading comprehension, speaking, active learning, active listening and critical thinking skills • Working knowledge of production and processing, public safety and security, mechanical and administration and management • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $46.50 an hour ($96,710 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to maintain and repair equipment, or report malfunctioning equipment to supervisors so that repairs can be scheduled. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to monitor process indicators, instruments, gauges, and meters to detect and report any possible problems. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to operate control panels to coordinate and regulate process variables such as temperature and pressure, and to direct product flow rate, according to process schedules. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to patrol units to monitor the amount of oil in storage tanks, and to verify that activities and operations are safe, efficient, and in compliance with regulations. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- How do you keep track of your own work quality during a busy shift or week? Give an example of catching a problem early.
- Tell me about written instructions, a policy or a manual you had to follow closely. How did you make sure you followed it correctly?
- Explain something technical from your last job as you would to a new coworker.
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers do
- Maintain and repair equipment, or report malfunctioning equipment to supervisors so that repairs can be scheduled.
- Monitor process indicators, instruments, gauges, and meters to detect and report any possible problems.
- Operate control panels to coordinate and regulate process variables such as temperature and pressure, and to direct product flow rate, according to process schedules.
- Patrol units to monitor the amount of oil in storage tanks, and to verify that activities and operations are safe, efficient, and in compliance with regulations.
- Plan movement of products through lines to processing, storage, and shipping units, using knowledge of system interconnections and capacities.
- Signal other workers by telephone or radio to operate pumps, open and close valves, and check temperatures.
- Start pumps and open valves or use automated equipment to regulate the flow of oil in pipelines and into and out of tanks.
- Verify that incoming and outgoing products are moving through the correct meters, and that meters are working properly.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 1 to 2 years (O*NET)
- Training on the job: Moderate-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: -1.9% over ten years, little or no change · about 2,700 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| Louisiana | $106,640 |
| Utah | $105,980 |
| Ohio | $105,150 |
| Washington | $103,620 |
| California | $103,250 |
| Kentucky | $78,670 |
| Mississippi | $75,180 |
| Indiana | $67,420 |
See petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers pay in every state
Related hiring guides
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- Wellhead Pumpers
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- Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers
- Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators
- Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators
- Plant and System Operators, All Other
- Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas
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Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.