Description
Granulator machine operators perform the mixing and granulation of powdered ingredients using mixing and milling machines in order to prepare the ingredients to be compressed into medicinal tablets. They set up the batch size and follow ingredient formulas.
Other titles
The following job titles also refer to granulator machine operator:
pharmaceutical granulation operative
granulator
granulation operative
granulating machine operative
granulating machine operator
pharmaceutical granulating machine operator
pharmaceutical granulating machine operative
granulation machine operative
pharmaceutical granulator
pharmaceutical granulation operator
pharmaceutical granulation machine operative
granulation operator
wet-mix operator
Minimum qualifications
No formal educational credential is generally required to work as a granulator machine operator.
ISCO skill level
ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:
- the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
- the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
- the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.
Granulator machine operator is a Skill level 2 occupation.
Potential next steps
No potential next step identified on the General track track for this occupation.
No potential next step identified on the Expert track track for this occupation.
No potential next step identified on the Manager track track for this occupation.
Essential knowledge and skills
Essential knowledge
This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of granulator machine operator.
- Good manufacturing practices: Regulatory requirements and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) applied in the relevant manufacturing sector.
- Mathematics: Mathematics is the study of topics such as quantity, structure, space, and change. It involves the identification of patterns and formulating new conjectures based on them. Mathematicians strive to prove the truth or falsity of these conjectures. There are many fields of mathematics, some of which are widely used for practical applications.
Essential skills and competences
These skills are necessary for the role of granulator machine operator.
- Disassemble equipment: Disassembles equipment using hand tools in order to clean equipments and to perform regular operational maintenance.
- Keep task records: Keep written records of the amount of stock in storage, incoming and outgoing products required for the proper operation of services, repairs and maintenance tasks.
- Adhere to standard procedures: Adhere to and follow the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).
- Work in shifts: Work in rotating shifts, where the goal is to keep a service or production line running around the clock and each day of the week.
- Keep time accurately: Measure the passage of time, often with the assistance of a clock or stopwatch.
- Use communication techniques: Apply techniques of communication which allow interlocutors to better understand each other and communicate accurately in the transmission of messages.
- Assemble machines: Put together devices, and components according to drawings. Program and install the components where needed.
- Perform granulation equipment transfer: Perform the loading and unloading of granulation equipment.
- Lift heavy weights: Lift heavy weights and apply ergonomic lifting techniques to avoid damaging the body.
- Oversee granulation operations: Oversee the operations performed within the granulation process, in order to detect any deviations or problems, ensuring the quality standards are kept.
- Perform blending operations: Perform powdered ingredients blending adding the correct binding ingredient according to the formula: gelatin, water, alcohol or starch paste.
- Monitor powdered ingredients: Monitor the batch and the ingredients, ensuring the weights and measures are conforming to the specified formula.
- Maintain manufacturing rooms: Maintain the cleanliness of rooms when the manufacturing process is finished and the product is completed according to Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).
- Keep stock records: Organise and classify records of prepared reports and correspondence related to the performed work and progress records of tasks.
Optional knowledge and skills
Optional knowledge
This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of granulator machine operator. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.
Optional skills and competences
These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of granulator machine operator. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.
- Analyse granulated mixture: Analyse the mixtures in order to establish the granules size ranges.
- Tend ion-exchange equipment: Tend the equipment used for mineral salts removal from water. This involves ion-exchange equipment.
- Collaborate with a technical staff in artistic productions: Coordinate your artistic activities with others who specialise in the technical side of the project. Inform the technical staff of your plans and methods and obtain feedback on feasibility, cost, procedures and other relevant information. Be able to understand the vocabulary and the practises about technical issues
Skills group distribution
ISCO group and title
8131 – Chemical products plant and machine operators
References
- Granulator machine operator – ESCO


