Skills it runs on
The capabilities O*NET rates most important for this occupation — the human ground the work is built on.
See all skills →Biomass Plant Technicians
Occupation · SOC 51-8013.03
Control and monitor biomass plant activities and perform maintenance as needed.
Also called: Auxiliary Operator · Fuel Handler · Operations Technician (Operations Tech) · Plant Operator · Central Heating Plant Operator · Fuel Quality Technician (Fuel Quality Tech) · Heating Plant Operator · Plant Technician · Steam Plant Operator · Biomass Boiler Operator · Biomass Plant Operator · Biomass Plant Technician
Job family: Production Occupations
Take this to your AI
A source-stamped Markdown brief of this occupation — paste it into an agent, or fetch
/roles/role-51-8013-03/context.md directly.
AI work map
A fast read on where AI already shows up in this occupation, where it stays a copilot, where humans remain in the loop, and what the labor market is doing. Built from observed Claude.ai conversations mapped to O*NET tasks and from published research — measures of usage and exposure, not advice or predictions that the job is going away.
Market signal
Independent published positions, read together — not a forecast.
- Declining employment outlook (-11.2% by 2034)
- 2,500 openings/yr
- Low AI exposure
- Median pay $99,670/yr
- Work is mostly on-site (not teleworkable)
- 2013 flagged this for computerization (71st); today's AI task-overlap is comparatively low (25th)
25th-percentile task overlap — yet about 2,500 openings a year (-11.2% projected, BLS) . What exposure means →
AI & job outlook
What today's research says about this occupation's exposure to AI, how AI is actually being used in it, and where employment is headed. These are positions within published studies — measures of exposure and usage, not predictions that this job will disappear.
Exposure to current AI
Each study uses its own scale, so the raw scores are not comparable across rows — the percentile (this job's rank among all U.S. occupations with data) is the comparable figure, and sizes the bars.
| Measure | Rank vs all occupations | Percentile | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.) Moderate | 39th | -0.3 | |
| LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou) Low | 25th | 0.2 | |
| AI assistant applicability (Microsoft) Low | 17th | 0.1 |
OpenAI's exposure study scores tasks three ways: with a language model alone (α 0.1), with simple added tooling (β 0.1), and including AI-powered software (γ 0.2). Higher means more of the job's tasks could be done at least twice as fast — not that they will be automated away.
This job mostly cannot be done remotely (Dingel–Neiman) — its hands-on tasks sit outside what software-based AI reaches.
Mixed signals. Today's AI/LLM studies show relatively low exposure for this job, but the older (2013) Frey–Osborne work rated it higher for computerization and robotics. Different eras, different technologies — the AI measures above reflect the current state.
Historical automation estimate (2013)
A pre-LLM (2013) estimate of how automatable this job is by computerization and robotics. Shown for historical context only — it is not part of any current AI ranking.
Frey–Osborne probability 0.8 · 71st percentile among occupations · High
How AI is actually used in this job
Among measured AI assistant conversations mapped to this occupation (Anthropic Economic Index, 2026-01-15), these task types came up most. These are shares of observed AI conversations — not shares of the job, of worker time, or of what could be automated.
| Calibrate liquid flow devices or meters, including fuel, chemical, and water meters. | 0.2% |
Job outlook
Independent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projection for 2024–2034 — a labor-market forecast, not an AI-impact forecast.
| Outlook | Declining · -11.2% by 2034 |
| Projected annual openings | 2,500 |
| Employment 2024 → 2034 | 31,600 → 28,000 |
“Annual openings” counts new jobs plus replacements for workers who leave the occupation, so it can be large even when growth is modest.
Where this work sits on the global GenAI gradient
The ILO's 2025 global study scores generative-AI exposure on the international ISCO-08 occupation system, not US SOC. Bridged through the published (and approximate, many-to-many) IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 crosswalk, this US occupation corresponds to the international occupation below. Exposure here means how much of the work's tasks today's AI can attempt — task overlap, not automation, adoption, or jobs lost.
Biomass Plant Technicians sits at the 51st percentile of 427
occupations on the global GenAI task-exposure gradient
— exposure eased from 2023 to 2025. Each dot is one occupation; the
ringed one is this work. Exposure is task overlap, not automation or jobs lost.
28% mean task exposure (2025)
51st percentile of 427 placed occupations
−7 pts shift 2023 → 2025
| International occupation (ISCO-08) | Task exposure (2025) | Most tasks fall in |
|---|---|---|
| Power Production Plant Operators · 3131 | 28% | Not exposed |
Read the whole six-band gradient on the GenAI exposure gradient page. The crosswalk is approximate: a US occupation can map to several international ones, and the ILO scores describe the international occupation, not this exact US role.
Tasks
All 18 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, ordered by importance. Each links to its own page with AI-exposure and observed-use detail.
- Operate biomass fuel-burning boiler or biomass fuel gasification system equipment in accordance with specifications or instructions. Core · importance 4.7
- Perform tests of water chemistry in boilers. Core · importance 4.6
- Operate high-pressure steam boiler or water chiller equipment for electrical cogeneration operations. Core · importance 4.6
- Operate equipment to heat biomass, using knowledge of controls, combustion, and firing mechanisms. Core · importance 4.5
- Operate equipment to start, stop, or regulate biomass-fueled generators, generator units, boilers, engines, or auxiliary systems. Core · importance 4.5
- Inspect biomass power plant or processing equipment, recording or reporting damage and mechanical problems. Core · importance 4.4
- Record or report operational data, such as readings on meters, instruments, and gauges. Core · importance 4.4
- Operate valves, pumps, engines, or generators to control and adjust production of biofuels or biomass-fueled power. Core · importance 4.4
- Calculate, measure, load, or mix biomass feedstock for power generation. Core · importance 4.3
- Clean work areas to ensure compliance with safety regulations. Core · importance 4.2
- Perform routine maintenance or make minor repairs to mechanical, electrical, or electronic equipment in biomass plants. Core · importance 4.1
- Measure and monitor raw biomass feedstock, including wood, waste, or refuse materials. Core · importance 3.9
- Calibrate liquid flow devices or meters, including fuel, chemical, and water meters. Core · importance 3.9
- Preprocess feedstock to prepare for biochemical or thermochemical production processes. Supplemental · importance 3.9
- Assess quality of biomass feedstock. Core · importance 3.7
- Read and interpret instruction manuals or technical drawings related to biomass-fueled power or biofuels production equipment or processes. Core · importance 3.7
- Operate heavy equipment, such as bulldozers and front-end loaders. Core · importance 3.6
- Manage parts and supply inventories for biomass plants. Supplemental · importance 3.5
Work activities
- Measure stock or liquid levels in sustainable fuel production systems.
- Operate pumping systems or equipment.
- Operate biomass or biofuel production equipment.
- Maintain sustainable energy production equipment.
- Evaluate quality of materials or products.
- Measure ingredients or substances to be used in production processes.
- Calculate specific material, equipment, or labor requirements for production.
- Load materials into production equipment.
- Adjust equipment controls to regulate flow of water, cleaning solutions, or other liquids.
- Inspect sustainable energy production facilities or equipment.
- Record operational or production data.
- Notify others of equipment repair or maintenance needs.
- Prepare biological feedstock for physical, chemical, or biological processing.
- Clean work areas.
- Maintain inventories of materials, equipment, or products.
- Study blueprints or other instructions to determine equipment setup requirements.
- Test materials, solutions, or samples.
- Test fluids to identify contamination or other problems.
- Operate heavy-duty construction or installation equipment.
Knowledge, skills & abilities
O*NET importance rating, from 1 (not important) to 5 (extremely important).
Transferable skills
Knowledge
| Mechanical | 3.9 | |
| Chemistry | 3.4 | |
| English Language | 3.3 | |
| Production and Processing | 3.3 | |
| Engineering and Technology | 3.1 | |
| Education and Training | 3.1 | |
| Computers and Electronics | 3.0 |
Abilities
| Near Vision | 3.9 | |
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.8 | |
| Control Precision | 3.8 | |
| Information Ordering | 3.4 | |
| Written Comprehension | 3.3 | |
| Deductive Reasoning | 3.3 | |
| Perceptual Speed | 3.3 | |
| Multilimb Coordination | 3.3 | |
| Reaction Time | 3.3 | |
| Inductive Reasoning | 3.1 | |
| Visualization | 3.1 | |
| Selective Attention | 3.1 | |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 3.1 | |
| Rate Control | 3.1 | |
| Far Vision | 3.1 | |
| Visual Color Discrimination | 3.1 | |
| Oral Comprehension | 3.0 |
Essential skills
| Monitoring | 3.4 | |
| Critical Thinking | 3.1 | |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.0 | |
| Active Listening | 3.0 | |
| Writing | 3.0 | |
| Speaking | 3.0 | |
| Active Learning | 3.0 | |
| Learning Strategies | 3.0 |
Skills in demand
Skills employers ask for in job postings for this occupation (Lightcast), with whether each is a common or specialized skill.
Tools & technology
| Example | Category | |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Excel | Spreadsheet software | Hot technology |
| Microsoft Office software | Office suite software | Hot technology |
| Microsoft Outlook | Electronic mail software | Hot technology |
| Microsoft Word | Word processing software | Hot technology |
| Distributed control system DCS | Industrial control software | |
| Energy analysis software | Analytical or scientific software | |
| Inventory control software | Inventory management software | |
| National Instruments LabVIEW | Development environment software |
Work context
How characteristic each condition is of the job, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale (higher = more present in day-to-day work). Each condition links to how it varies across all occupations.
How to get in
- Job zone
- Zone 2 — Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent · BLS, the typical path — not a requirement
- Related experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Preparation level
- SVP (Below 6.0) — total schooling plus on-the-job experience.
What to study: Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians . Fields of study crosswalked to this occupation (NCES CIP–SOC), not a requirement.
Education of current workers
Share of people in this occupation at each level of education.
| High School Diploma | 46.5% | |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 21.9% | |
| Bachelor's Degree | 9.7% | |
| Some College Courses | 9.5% | |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 6.6% | |
| Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 5.8% |
Interests & work styles
The interests and personal qualities O*NET associates with people who do this work.
Career interests (Holland / RIASEC)
| Realistic | 7.0 | |
| Conventional | 4.8 | |
| Investigative | 3.1 | |
| Enterprising | 1.8 | |
| Social | 1.2 | |
| Artistic | 1.0 |
Wages & employment
U.S. · annual wages (BLS OEWS)
| 10th percentile | $59,930 |
| 25th percentile | $77,400 |
| Median (50th) | $99,670 |
| 75th percentile | $111,980 |
| 90th percentile | $128,760 |
| People employed | 30,720 |
Wages and employment are reported by BLS for the broader occupation group this specialty belongs to (SOC 51-8013), not for the specialty alone.
Industries that employ this occupation
Where these workers are employed, by number of jobs (national, BLS OEWS). Pay shown is the occupation's national median, not industry-specific.
| Industry | Workers | National median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Utilities · Sector | 21,490 | $102,950 |
| Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation · National industry | 11,860 | $103,640 |
| Hydroelectric Power Generation · National industry | 1,620 | $95,150 |
| Biomass Electric Power Generation · National industry | 950 | $63,470 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services · Sector | 950 | $77,560 |
| Manufacturing · Sector | 770 | $71,470 |
| Educational Services · Sector | 770 | $61,960 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services · Sector | 730 | $78,530 |
| Engineering Services · National industry | 590 | $78,530 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance · Sector | 460 | $64,370 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises · Sector | 420 | $107,870 |
| Wind Electric Power Generation · National industry | 410 | $75,600 |
Where this work is most concentrated
Industries where this occupation is far more common than in the economy as a whole. The location quotient is how many times more concentrated it is here (a value of 5 means five times its economy-wide share).
| Industry | Concentration | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Biomass Electric Power Generation · National industry | 2591.38× | 950 |
| Geothermal Electric Power Generation · National industry | 2247.35× | 300 |
| Hydroelectric Power Generation · National industry | 1188.73× | 1,620 |
| Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation · National industry | 834.99× | 11,860 |
| Other Electric Power Generation · National industry | 359.53× | 250 |
| Wind Electric Power Generation · National industry | 207.23× | 410 |
| Utilities · Sector | 186.15× | 21,490 |
| Solar Electric Power Generation · National industry | 82.75× | 230 |
Related occupations
Part of the Energy & Natural Resources career cluster.
- Biomass Power Plant Managers · 11-3051.04 Compare →
- Biofuels Processing Technicians · 51-8099.01 Compare →
- Power Plant Operators · 51-8013.00 Compare →
- Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators · 51-8021.00 Compare →
- Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators · 51-8031.00 Compare →
- Gas Plant Operators · 51-8092.00 Compare →
- Hydroelectric Plant Technicians · 51-8013.04 Compare →
- Chemical Plant and System Operators · 51-8091.00 Compare →
- Geothermal Technicians · 49-9099.01 Compare →
- Biofuels Production Managers · 11-3051.03 Compare →
- Geothermal Production Managers · 11-3051.02 Compare →
- Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators · 53-7071.00 Compare →
Side-by-side comparisons place two occupations’ pay, preparation, skills, and AI exposure on the same page — same data, same scale, no forecast.
What you can do with this
Options the data surfaces for Biomass Plant Technicians — not advice or a forecast. Each is a real cross-link you can follow into the evidence.
Skills that travel
Capabilities this work builds that are used across many other occupations.
Adjacent roles
Occupations O*NET rates as related — the nearby moves on the map.
Paths in
How people typically prepare for this work.
- High school diploma or equivalent · typical entry level
- Job zone 2 — Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed · preparation tier
- Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians · field of study
Zoom out
On the global GenAI exposure gradient this work sits around the 51st percentile of 427 international occupations.
Write a report on thisheadline · factoids · citation
Biomass Plant Technicians show 25th-percentile AI task overlap — and about 2,500 annual U.S. openings
- Biomass Plant Technicians rank in the 25th percentile (Low band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated.Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE
- The occupation is projected to see about 2,500 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
- BLS projects employment to be declining (-11.2%) from 2024 to 2034.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
- Median annual pay is $99,670, across about 30,720 U.S. workers.BLS OEWS (May 2024)
Copy the whole kit
Biomass Plant Technicians show 25th-percentile AI task overlap — and about 2,500 annual U.S. openings • Biomass Plant Technicians rank in the 25th percentile (Low band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated. (Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE) • The occupation is projected to see about 2,500 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34) • BLS projects employment to be declining (-11.2%) from 2024 to 2034. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34) • Median annual pay is $99,670, across about 30,720 U.S. workers. (BLS OEWS (May 2024)) Source: Singulariki — "Biomass Plant Technicians". https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-8013-03 Note: AI task overlap measures what today's AI can attempt, not automation, job loss, or a forecast.
AssetsShare imageMethodology & sourcesPress & newsroomThe newsroom
Every line is built only from figures this page already shows and cites. AI task overlap means what today's AI can attempt — not automation, job loss, or a forecast.
Sources for this page
Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.
- O*NET 30.3 U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27) Anthropic
- Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai Microsoft Research
- “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic
- AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans academic
- ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025 International Labour Organization
- IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022 Institute for Structural Research (IBS)
- Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation academic
- Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome academic
Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.
Cite this page
Plain
Singulariki. "Biomass Plant Technicians." Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Built from O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-8013-03
APA
Singulariki. (2026). Biomass Plant Technicians. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-8013-03
BibTeX
@misc{singulariki-role-51-8013-03,
title = {Biomass Plant Technicians},
author = {{Singulariki}},
year = {2026},
note = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026},
url = {https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-8013-03}
} Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.