Tracer powder blender
Also known as: flammable chemical mixer, igniter powder blender, flammable chemical blender, tracer powder mixer, tracer-powder blender, igniter powder mixer
About this occupation
Tracer powder blenders operate machines and equipment used to create igniters and tracer powders, by mixing liquid and dry chemicals, making sure the required parameters are set and that the flammable mixtures are according to specifications.
A specialisation of chemical mixer.
Essential skills and knowledge
- measure materials
- tend ball mill
- pour mix into rubber pouches
- tend flammable mixture machines
- tend tumbling barrels
- sift powder
- flammable fluids
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (O*NET 51-9023.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Weigh or measure materials, ingredients, or products to ensure conformance to requirements.
- Read work orders to determine production specifications or information.
- Observe production or monitor equipment to ensure safe and efficient operation.
- Mix or blend ingredients by starting machines and mixing for specified times.
- Stop mixing or blending machines when specified product qualities are obtained and open valves and start pumps to transfer mixtures.
- Compound or process ingredients or dyes, according to formulas.
- Typical education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Preparation
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Interests
- Realistic, Conventional, Investigative
Top skills: Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Monitoring, Equipment Maintenance
US median pay: US$48,990 a year (2025), 94,920 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Preparation needed
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- 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.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
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O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.