Changing
Manufacturing
Plastics machine operator
#287Changing
Key facts
+0.8%jobs, 2025 to 2035
United StatesThis job is hiring in the United States; its exposure to AI is low. AI exposure: very low according to the ILO, low according to the BLS. Employment change in the United States by 2035: +0.8% (BLS).
The job
Plastic products machine operators (ISCO 8142). Plastic products machine operators monitor and operate machines which knead and blend compounds to obtain plastic materials and which make various plastic components and articles.
Page built from official classifications (ILO, ESCO); figures cover all the jobs grouped here.
215 job titles linked to this page
Titles from the European ESCO classification. They are also used for search.
- blow molding machine operative
- blow molding machine operator
- blow molding technician
- blow moulding machine operative
- blow moulding machine operator
- blow moulding technician
- boat hull laminator
- cake press operative
- cake press operator
- cake press setter
- cake press tender
- cake press worker
- compression molding machine operative
- compression molding machine operator
- compression molding machine setter
- compression moulding machine operative
- compression moulding machine operator
- compression moulding machine setter
- convolute tube winder
- fiberglass container winding operator
- fiberglass laminator
- fiberglass machine operator
- fiberglass pipe winding operator
- fiberglass tank winding operator
- fiberglass-spraying machine operator
- fibreglass container winding operator
- fibreglass lamination technician
- fibreglass laminator
- fibreglass machine operator
- fibreglass pipe winding operator
- fibreglass spraying machine technician
- fibreglass tank winding operator
- fibreglass-spraying machine operator
- filament winder operative
- filament winder operator
- filament winding machine operative
- filament winding machine operator
- filament winding machine tender
- filament winding operator
- FRP winding machine operator
- GRP pipe winding operator
- hand winder, insulating tubes
- heat treat operator
- heat treat technician
- heat treating equipment operator
- heat treating equipment setter
- heat treating operator
- heat treatment equipment engineer
- hydraulic cake press operator
- hydraulic press operative
- hydraulic press setter
- hydraulic press tender
- hydraulic press worker
- injection molding machine operator
- injection molding machine tender
- injection molding operative
- injection molding operator
- injection molding setter
- injection molding worker
- injection moulder
- injection moulding machine operator
- injection moulding machine tender
- injection moulding operative
- injection moulding operator
- injection moulding setter
- injection moulding worker
- insulating tube winder
- lead machine operator
- materials engineer
- metallurgical process engineer
- molder operator
- molding machine operative
- molding machine setter
- molding machine tender
- moulder operator
- moulding machine operative
- moulding machine setter
- moulding machine tender
- operator of fiberglass-spraying machine
- operator of fibreglass-spraying machine
- optical disc injection moulding machine operator
- optical disc injection moulding machine specialist
- optical disc injection moulding machine technician
- optical disc molding machine tender
- optical disc moulding machine operative
- optical disc moulding machine operator
- optical disc moulding machine specialist
- optical disc moulding machine technician
- optical disc moulding machine tender
- optical disc moulding machine worker
- optical molding machine operator
- plastic blow molding machine operative
- plastic blow molding machine operator
- plastic blow moulding machine operative
- plastic blow moulding machine operator
- plastic cake press operative
- plastic cake press operator
- plastic cake press setter
- plastic cake press tender
- plastic cake press worker
- plastic furniture assembler
- plastic furniture assembly worker
- plastic furniture machine operative
- plastic furniture machine operator
- plastic furniture machine setter
- plastic furniture machine tender
- plastic furniture machine worker
- plastic furniture maker
- plastic furniture manufacturer
- plastic furniture production operative
- plastic furniture production process worker
- plastic heat treatment equipment operator
- plastic injection molding machine operator
- plastic injection molding operator
- plastic injection moulding machine operator
- plastic injection moulding operator
- plastic molding machine setter
- plastic molding machine tender
- plastic molding operative
- plastic molding operator
- plastic molding worker
- plastic moulder
- plastic moulding machine setter
- plastic moulding machine tender
- plastic moulding operative
- plastic moulding worker
- plastic process machine operator
- plastic processing machine operator
- plastic production process operative
- plastic production process operator
- plastic production process worker
- plastic roll-forming machine operative
- plastic roll-forming machine operator
- plastic roll-forming machine setter
- plastic roll-forming machine tender
- plastic rolling machine operative
- plastic rolling machine operator
- plastic rolling machine setter
- plastic rolling machine setter/operator
- plastic rolling machine tender
- plastic rolling machine worker
- plastics process machine operative
- plastics processing machine operative
- plastics production machine operative
- plastics production machine operator
- plastics production process worker
- press tender
- process engineer, metallurgical
- production operative (plastic moulding)
- production operator (plastic moulding)
- pultruded fibreglass maker
- pultruded fibreglass product maker
- pultruded fibreglass product worker
- pultruded fibreglass worker
- pultrusion machine operative
- pultrusion machine operator
- pultrusion machine worker
- pultrusion operator
- pultrusion process operative
- pultrusion process operator
- pultrusion process worker
- record press machinist
- record press operative
- record press operator
- record press specialist
- record press technician
- record press tender
- record press worker
- record pressing machine operator
- record pressing machine specialist
- record pressing machine technician
- reinforced fibreglass maker
- thermo-forming machine operative
- thermo-forming machine setter
- thermo-forming machine tender
- thermo-forming machine worker
- thermoforming machine operative
- thermoforming machine operator
- thermoforming machine tender
- thermoforming operative
- thermoforming operator
- thermoplastic molding operative
- thermoplastic molding operator
- thermoplastic molding worker
- thermoplastic moulder
- thermoplastic moulding operative
- thermoplastic moulding worker
- thermoplastic process worker
- tube winder
- tube winding machine operative
- tube winding machine operator
- tube winding machine setter
- tube winding machine tender
- vacuum former
- vacuum forming machine operative
- vacuum forming machine operator
- vacuum forming machine setter
- vacuum forming machine tender
- vacuum forming machine worker
- vacuum molding machine operative
- vacuum molding machine operator
- vacuum moulding machine operative
- vacuum moulding machine operator
- vinyl record machine operator
- vinyl record machine specialist
- vinyl record machine technician
- vinyl record machine tender
- vinyl record press operator
- vinyl record press specialist
- vinyl record press technician
- vinyl record press tender
- wax injection operator
- winder, insulating tubes
- winding machine operative
- winding technician
Training
Check any training provider through official public services before paying.
Gauges
Risk 3/5 · Moderate
AI exposureLowBLS AI exposure category "low" (2026), higher than the ILO 2025 index (very low)
Employment outlookDeclineBLS, 2025-2035 projections (Fiberglass laminators and fabricators; Coil winders, tapers, and finishers; Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic (+2))
Hiring difficultyNot availableNo US indicator measures hiring difficulty job by job
PayModestBLS, 2025 median annual wage: $46,773
EntryQuickBLS, typical education needed for entry
No US indicator measures hiring difficulty job by job: this gauge stays empty. How countries are compared
Sources
- AI exposure categories and employment projections, 2025-2035 (XLSX file)Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States · August 2026 · official statistics
- Generative AI and Jobs: a refined global index of occupational exposureInternational Labour Organization and NASK · May 2025 · large survey
- ESCO, European classification of skills, competences, qualifications and occupations (job titles and O*NET crosswalk)European Commission · version 1.2 · official statistics
- Jobs in 2030: projections by occupational family (summary table)Dares and France Stratégie · March 2022 · official statistics
- Labour needs survey (BMO) 2026France Travail · 2026 · large survey
- EURES report on labour shortages and surpluses 2025, annexEuropean Labour Authority · June 2026 · official statistics
Checked on 27 October 2026.