Mixer Operator Job Description: Duties, Template & Pay (2026)
This mixer operator job description covers the person who turns a formula into a batch: weighing and loading ingredients in the right order, running the mixer for the right time at the right temperature, pulling a sample for the lab, and discharging a batch the next step can use. Below: a template, how the job changes between a bakery, a chemical plant, a rubber mill and a concrete batch plant, and what it pays.
What a mixer operator does
The Bureau of Labor Statistics counts most mixer operators as mixing and blending machine setters, operators and tenders (SOC 51-9023): workers who set up, operate or tend machines to mix or blend materials such as chemicals, liquids and color pigments. O*NET lists Mixer, Mixer Operator, Batchmaker, Blender, Ink Blender and Stock Preparation Operator among the job titles people in the occupation hold. One important exclusion: food batchmakers (SOC 51-3092) are counted separately, and O*NET lists Mixer, Mixer Operator and Dough Scaler among their titles too. Because food batchmakers are defined as workers who set up and operate equipment that mixes or blends ingredients used in making food products, a bakery mixer operator is most likely counted there.
The core tasks O*NET records for mixing and blending operators: weigh or measure materials to requirements; read work orders; monitor equipment; start machines and mix for specified times; stop the mixer when the batch reaches spec and transfer it by valve and pump; compound ingredients or dyes to formulas; check materials by eye and by hand; record production data; collect samples for lab testing; clean equipment and clear jams.
The job is a recipe with consequences. A missed ingredient or a wrong weight can scrap the batch and everything downstream of it.
| Working conditions | Share reporting it |
|---|---|
| Protective equipment such as safety glasses, gloves and hard hats | 100% every day |
| Exposed to hazardous conditions | 85% every day |
| Time pressure | 85% every day |
| Exposed to contaminants | 84% every day |
| Being exact is extremely important | 68% |
| Breathing apparatus, harness or full protective suit | 45% every day |
That last row is the one most postings skip. If the job needs a respirator, say so in the ad — and read the respirator section below before you post.
Mixer operator job description template
Copy this, replace the bracketed fields and delete what does not apply. It is written to work across settings; the customization section covers what to add for each.
Job title
Mixer Operator [/ Batch Mixer / Blender Operator / Compounder] — [Shift], [Company name], [City, ST]
Summary
[Company name] makes [products] in [city]. As a mixer operator you will turn formulas into batches: weighing and loading ingredients, running [mixer type] to spec, pulling samples for quality, and getting each batch to the next step on time.
[Shift and rotation]. [Pay range and differential]. [One honest sentence on the plant and the team.]
What you will do
• Read batch tickets and work orders and stage ingredients in order
• Weigh and measure ingredients on [scales / meters / automated batching system]
• Load, run and discharge [ribbon blenders / spiral or horizontal dough mixers / high-shear mixers / internal mixers / batch plant controls] to the formula
• Monitor time, temperature, speed and consistency; adjust within limits
• Collect samples for [lab testing / quality checks] and hold batches that fail
• Record lot numbers, weights and batch data in [system]
• Clean and sanitize equipment and complete [allergen / color / product] changeovers
• Follow lockout/tagout, chemical handling and PPE rules
• Move materials with [forklift / pallet jack / hoist]
What you need
• High school diploma or equivalent
• Comfortable with basic math, scales and following a written formula exactly
• Able to lift [weight] [frequency] and stand for most of the shift
• [Able to wear a respirator; medical evaluation and fit testing provided]
• Available for [shift / overtime / weekends]
Nice to have
• Production, batching or food manufacturing experience
• [Forklift certification]
• [Experience with batching software / SAP]
What we offer
• [Pay range, differential, overtime]
• [Benefits and the date they start]
• [Paid training and a pay step when signed off on formulas]
• [The path: lead mixer, compounder, quality technician, supervisor]
How to apply
[One step. A short form and a call back within a day.]
Requirements: what to ask for, and what to drop
| Requirement | What to know |
|---|---|
| Education | High school diploma or equivalent. 80 percent of O*NET respondents said that is what a new hire needs, and the math on a batch ticket makes it a reasonable ask. |
| Experience | BLS lists no prior work experience for entry and moderate-term on-the-job training. Ask for batching experience only on lead or compounder roles. |
| Accuracy | The real requirement: 68 percent say being exact is extremely important. Test it with a sample batch ticket in the interview. |
| Respirator | If the job needs one, say so and say what you provide. See the note below. |
| Physical | Bags and pails are heavy. Name the weight, the frequency and whether you have hoists or bag lifts. |
| Schedule | Say the rotation and whether sanitation shifts or weekend changeovers are part of the job. |
Customizing it by setting
Food and bakery
Dough, batter, fillings and blends. Sanitation, allergen changeovers and lot tracking are a large share of the job, and timing matters because the line downstream is waiting. Pair this with the food production worker job description for the rest of the line, and remember the pay data for this setting is food batchmakers, below.
Chemical, paint, ink and coatings
Formulas, raw material handling, respirators and spill procedures. Say what materials the operator handles and what training you give. Expect the PPE rows in the table above to apply.
Rubber compounding
Internal (Banbury-type) mixers and mills turning polymer, carbon black, oils and curatives into compound. Expect heat, dust, heavy material and strict mixing cycles; O*NET’s Stock Preparation Operator title may fit. Name the equipment so experienced compounders recognize the job.
Concrete batch plant
Batch plant operators run the controls that proportion cement, aggregate, water and admixtures into trucks. We could not find a federal occupation that names this role, so treat the pay figures below as a guide for this setting, not a benchmark. The concrete finisher job description covers the crew on the other end of the truck.
What mixer operators earn
Mixing and blending machine setters, operators and tenders had a median wage of $48,990 a year, or $23.55 an hour, in May 2025. Food batchmakers had a median of $42,290, or $20.33 an hour.
| May 2025 annual wage | Mixing and blending operators (51-9023) | Food batchmakers (51-3092) |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36,790 | $31,990 |
| 25th percentile | $42,850 | $36,350 |
| Median | $48,990 | $42,290 |
| 75th percentile | $59,860 | $49,670 |
| 90th percentile | $70,200 | $58,940 |
O*NET places 82 percent of mixing and blending operators in manufacturing. BLS projects that occupation to shrink 6.1 percent, from 97,300 in 2025 to 91,400 in 2035, with about 7,900 openings a year from replacement. Food batchmakers are projected to grow 6.5 percent, from 176,800 to 188,200, with about 23,100 openings a year.
What it costs to reach a mixer operator
Warehouse and production roles have a median cost per applicant of $9.83 on Meta across our managed campaigns, with the middle half of campaigns between $3.15 and $18.72, a blended figure of $4.44 and a 20 percent apply rate, across 82 campaign-months. The all-role median is $13.88.
Across the whole benchmark, applicant conversion explains about 70 percent of the variation in cost per applicant. Ask the questions that disqualify — can you wear a respirator, can you work this shift — and leave the rest for the phone call.
Staffing the rest of the plant? See the extrusion operator, injection molding operator, machine operator and quality control inspector job descriptions, and manufacturing recruiting for the hiring side.
The job description is not the job ad
The template goes in the ATS. The ad has one job: get someone who was not looking to stop scrolling.
- Open with shift and pay, then what you make. “Mixer operator, commercial bakery” and “mixer operator, rubber compounding” are different jobs to the reader.
- Say the conditions honestly: heat, dust, respirator, early starts.
- Name the path to lead or compounder.
- One application step.
More in job ad copywriting, and production recruiting covers staffing several shifts at once.
Frequently asked questions
What does a mixer operator do?
A mixer operator weighs and loads ingredients, runs mixing or blending equipment to a formula for set times and conditions, checks and samples the batch, records batch data, and discharges it to the next step. They also clean equipment, handle changeovers and follow safety and PPE rules.
What should a mixer operator job description include?
What you make, the mixer type, the formulas and scales used, the shift and rotation, the pay range, the physical demands, any respirator requirement, sanitation or changeover duties, and the path to lead or compounder.
What qualifications does a mixer operator need?
A high school diploma or equivalent is typical — 80 percent of O*NET respondents said new hires need one. BLS lists no prior experience and moderate-term on-the-job training. The real requirement is accuracy with scales and formulas.
Is a bakery mixer operator the same occupation?
Not in federal data. BLS counts food batchmakers separately from mixing and blending machine operators, and O*NET lists Mixer, Mixer Operator and Dough Scaler among food batchmaker titles. Food batchmakers had a median wage of $42,290 in May 2025.
What is a Banbury mixer operator?
An operator who runs an internal (Banbury-type) mixer in rubber compounding, blending polymer, fillers, oils and curatives into compound for later processing. Name the mixer in the posting so experienced compounders recognize the job.
How much do mixer operators make?
Mixing and blending machine setters, operators and tenders had a median wage of $48,990 a year, or $23.55 an hour, in May 2025. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $36,790 and the highest 10 percent more than $70,200.
Do mixer operators need to wear respirators?
Some do. 45 percent of mixing and blending operators report wearing specialized protective equipment such as breathing apparatus every day. Where a tight-fitting respirator is required, OSHA requires a medical evaluation, fit testing before first use and at least annually, and a seal free of facial hair.
How much does it cost to recruit a mixer operator?
On Meta, warehouse and production roles run a median of $9.83 per applicant across our managed campaigns, with the middle half between $3.15 and $18.72 and a 20 percent apply rate. The all-role median is $13.88.
Other job description templates
Hiring mixer operators?
The description is the document. Getting it in front of people who are not on a job board is the part we do.
Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, mixing and blending machine setters, operators and tenders (SOC 51-9023) and food batchmakers (SOC 51-3092). Employment, projections, education and training: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Tasks, job titles, work context, education responses and industry share: O*NET OnLine 51-9023.00 and 51-3092.00. Respirator requirements: 29 CFR 1910.134, eCFR. Read at source 28 September 2026. Cost-per-applicant and apply-rate figures: Boostpoint 2026 Social Job Advertising Benchmark, 891 managed campaigns and 1,334 campaign-months.