Froth flotation deinking operator
Also known as: froth flotation deinking tank operator, froth flotation deinking technician, froth flotation deinking tank technician, froth flotation deinking specialist, froth flotation deinking tank worker, froth flotation deinking tank specialist
About this occupation
Froth flotation deinking operators tend a tank that takes in recycled paper and mixes it with water. The solution is brought to a temperature around 50°C Celsius, after which air bubbles are blown into the tank. The air bubbles lift ink particles to the surface of the suspension and form a froth that is then removed.
Essential skills and knowledge
- work safely with chemicals
- separate ink
- use deinking chemicals
- monitor chemical process condition
- types of paper
- monitor automated machines
- quality standards
- work safely with machines
- froth flotation processes
- supply machine
- deinking processes
- concentrate pulp slurry
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders (O*NET 51-9011.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Observe safety precautions to prevent fires or explosions.
- Patrol work areas to detect leaks or equipment malfunctions or to monitor operating conditions.
- Monitor gauges, recording instruments, flowmeters, or products to ensure that specified conditions are maintained.
- Inspect equipment or units to detect leaks or malfunctions, shutting equipment down, if necessary.
- Record operational data, such as temperatures, pressures, ingredients used, processing times, or test results.
- Draw samples of products at specified stages so that analyses can be performed.
- Preparation
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Interests
- Realistic, Conventional, Investigative
Top skills: Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Monitoring, Reading Comprehension, Judgment and Decision Making, Time Management
US median pay: US$58,040 a year (2025), 139,630 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- ChemistryO*NET: ChemistryVery important (4.0)
- Mathematics or StatisticsO*NET: MathematicsVery important (3.5)
- MetalworkO*NET: MechanicalImportant (3.1)
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.
Preparation needed
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- 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.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Chemical Plant and System Operators
- Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators
- Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders
- Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders
- Biomass Plant Technicians
- Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
- Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers
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.