Biofuels Processing Technicians
Calculate, measure, load, mix, and process refined feedstock with additives in fermentation or reaction process vessels and monitor production process. Perform, and keep records of, plant maintenance, repairs, and safety inspections.
$62,470 a year (for the broader BLS group this job sits in).
of the working time. Estimate.
- 23%
- 0%
- 77%
Measured, from Anthropic's usage data (2025). Counts help on part of a task.
On the chosen pace and reliability. Estimate.
Share of the working time within reach, now to 2030
What each choice means: , , , , . Every pace starts from .
At this date and pace, models finish tasks up to 4.4 h long four times in five.
How far this has come
With GPT-4, measured in March 2023, 0% of this job's working time was within reach at . With Claude 3.7 Sonnet, measured in February 2025, 0%. With Claude Mythos Preview (early), measured in April 2026, 20%. Today's estimate: 21%.
A backcast: today's task data with the best model METR had measured by each date. It shows how fast the models have moved, not what anyone forecast at the time.
The tasks
Sorted by . 19 tasks from .
| Task | Kind | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preprocess feedstock in preparation for physical, chemical, or biological fuel production processes.Done daily by most who do it. | 9% | 1.7 h38 min to 3.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Operate chemical processing equipment for the production of biofuels.Done daily by most who do it. | 9% | 1.3 h25 min to 2.5 h | Stays with people | |
| Process refined feedstock with additives in fermentation or reaction process vessels.Done daily by most who do it. | 9% | 1.3 h38 min to 2.5 h | Stays with people | |
| Collect biofuels samples and perform routine laboratory tests or analyses to assess biofuels quality.Done several times a day by most who do it. | 8% | 50 min25 min to 1.7 h | Stays with people | |
| Monitor batch, continuous flow, or hybrid biofuels production processes.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 8% | 50 min25 min to 1.7 h | 99%Half by now | |
| Operate valves, pumps, engines, or generators to control and adjust biofuels production.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 7% | 38 min13 min to 1.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Operate equipment, such as a centrifuge, to extract biofuels products and secondary by-products or reusable fractions.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 6% | 50 min25 min to 1.7 h | Stays with people | |
| Assess the quality of biofuels additives for reprocessing.Done daily by most who do it. | 6% | 1.3 h25 min to 2.1 h | Stays with people | |
| Coordinate raw product sourcing or collection.Done daily by most who do it. | 5% | 1.7 h25 min to 5 h | 51%Half by now | |
| Inspect biofuels plant or processing equipment regularly, recording or reporting damage and mechanical problems.Done daily by most who do it. | 4% | 50 min25 min to 1.7 h | Stays with people | |
| Calculate, measure, load, or mix refined feedstock used in biofuels production.Done daily by most who do it. | 4% | 50 min25 min to 1.7 h | Stays with people | |
| Measure and monitor raw biofuels feedstock.Done daily by most who do it. | 4% | 38 min17 min to 1.3 h | Stays with people |
Within reach, per task: the share of the task's time whose instances are short enough for a model to finish at the chosen date, pace and reliability. Half by: the date half of that time comes within reach.
Jobs that share skills with this one
From O*NET's related occupations. Within reach now and by the end of 2028, long-run pace, four in five.
- Biomass Plant Technicians6% now, 7% by 2028
- Chemical Plant and System Operators22% now, 22% by 2028
- Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers42% now, 47% by 2028
- Power Plant Operators41% now, 45% by 2028
- Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators11% now, 11% by 2028
- Gas Plant Operators14% now, 16% by 2028
Where this job works
The industry groups that employ the most of it (BLS, May 2025). Counts are for the broader BLS group this job sits in.
Where the most of these jobs are
The metro areas with the most people in it (BLS, May 2025). Counts are for the broader BLS group this job sits in.