A professional who controls catalytic converters to alter chemical composition of liquid or gaseous substances, according to knowledge of process and sequence of operations. Respnsibilities include:

• Turns valves and starts pumps to admit feed stock to converter units at specified rate, and to recycle unreacted products or byproducts to auxiliary equipment.
• Moves controls to regulate temperatures, pressures, and reaction time, according to gauge readings, chart recorders, and knowledge of processing requirements, to maintain efficient operation within specified limits.
• Operates or tends auxiliary equipment, such as heaters, scrubbers, vapor compressors, filters, distillation units, condensers, and humidifiers, to prepare or further process materials entering or leaving converters, according to plant operating procedures.
• Directs activities of catalytic-converter-operator helper.
• Draws samples of materials for laboratory analysis, or tests materials for specified characteristics, using standard gas-analysis procedures and equipment.
• May introduce inert gas into converters to remove explosive vapors or purge catalyst.
• May replace catalyst or tend equipment that regenerates catalyst for reuse.
• May set semiautomatic control system that places equipment units in operating equilibrium, to attain specified products and transfer them for further processing.
• May be designated according to materials produced as Acetaldehyde-Converter Operator; Butadiene-Converter Operator; Ethylbenzene-Converter Operator; Ethylene-Plant Operator; or according to chemical reaction effected as Dehydrogenation-Converter Operator; Ethylbenzene Hydrogenator; Ethylbenzene Oxidizer.