Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders

Operate or tend machines to bleach, shrink, wash, dye, or finish textiles or synthetic or glass fibers.

Also called: Beck Operator, Dye House Worker, Dye Line Operator, Dye Machine Operator, Dye Operator, Dye Tub Operator, Dyer, Jet Dyeing Machine Operator, Machine Operator (Machine Op), Tub Operator, Ager, Ager Operator, Ager Tender, Aging Box Hand, Ammonia Box Operator, Ammonia Box Tender, Ash Kier Boiler, Autoclave Operator, Automation Operator, Automation Tender, Back Washer, Bag Bleacher, Bark Tanner, Beam Dyer, Beam Dyer Operator, Blancher, Blanching Machine Operator, Bleach Machine Operator, Bleach Range Operator, Bleacher, Blender, Chain Dyer, Chemical Coordinator, Cloth Boil Off Machine Operator, Cloth Colorer, Cloth Dye-Range Operator, Cloth Dyer, Cloth Finisher, Cloth Finishing Range Operator, Cloth Finishing Range Tender, Cloth Painter, Cloth Shader, Cloth Shrinker, Cloth Shrinking Machine Operator, Cloth Washer, Cloth Washer Operator, Color Blender, Color Grinder, Color Maker, Color Matcher, Color Room Attendant, Colorer, Coloring Machine Operator, Colorist Dyer, Dye Automation Operator, Dye Box Operator, Dye Can Operator, Dye Colorist Dyer, Dye Feeder, Dye House Hand, Dye House Vat Worker, Dye House Wheel Operator, Dye Jig Operator, Dye Padder Operator, Dye Range Operator, Dye Reel Operator, Dye Tank Tender, Dye Tub Tender, Dye Worker, Dyed Yarn Operator, Felt Carbonizer, Felt Washing Machine Tender, Finisher Operator, Finishing Frame Runner, Finishing Machine Operator, Finishing Machine Tender, Finishing Room Operator, Ink Jet Operator, Jet Dyeing Machine Tender, Jig Box Operator, Jig Hand, Jig Operator, Jig Worker, Jigger, Jigger Operator, Kettle Coordinator, Kettle Tender, Kier Boiler, Kier Hand, Kier Operator, Kier Pleater, Kier Tender, Knit Goods Washer, Machine Dyer, Machine Whitener, Open Developer Operator, Package Dyeing Machine Operator, Patch Washer, Piece Dyer, Quebracho Tanner, Retanner, Rope Silica Machine Operator, Rotary Drum Dyer, Rotary Dryer Operator, Rug Dyer, Sample Dye Mixer, Scouring Train Operator, Shrinker, Shrinking Machine Operator, Silk Conditioner, Silk Finisher, Silk Washing Machine Operator, Skein Bleacher, Skein Dyer, Skein Washer, Skein Yarn Dyer, Staining Machine Operator, Strike Off Machine Operator, Tender Coordinator, Tenter Frame Operator, Tin Whiz Machine Operator, Tire Fabric Impregnating Range Operator, Treater, Tub Tender, Vat Tender, Warp Dyeing Tender, Warp Dyeing Vat Tender, Washer, Water Jet Operator, Wet Finisher, Whitener, Wool Dyer, Wool Washing Machine Operator, Yarn Dyer

This is a career information profile, not an advertised job opening.

What the worker does

Weigh ingredients, such as dye, to be mixed together for use in textile processing.
Start and control machines and equipment to wash, bleach, dye, or otherwise process and finish fabric, yarn, thread, or other textile goods.
Observe display screens, control panels, equipment, and cloth entering or exiting processes to determine if equipment is operating correctly.
Notify supervisors or mechanics of equipment malfunctions.
Monitor factors such as temperatures and dye flow rates to ensure that they are within specified ranges.
Add dyes, water, detergents, or chemicals to tanks to dilute or strengthen solutions, according to established formulas and solution test results.
Examine and feel products to identify defects and variations from coloring and other processing standards.
Adjust equipment controls to maintain specified heat, tension, and speed.
Soak specified textile products for designated times.
Inspect machinery to determine necessary adjustments and repairs.

Skills, machines and equipment

Operations Monitoring
Operation and Control
Active Listening
Monitoring
Time Management
Reading Comprehension
Speaking
Critical Thinking
Quality Control Analysis
Judgment and Decision Making
Coordination
Social Perceptiveness

Education and training

Most frequently reported education in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (55.98% of responses). This is survey context, not a universal hiring requirement. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.

O*NET Job Zone 2: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training. 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. This is broad occupational preparation context; confirm the requirements for a specific employer or apprenticeship.

Apprenticeships

Ask an employer or registered apprenticeship sponsor about current programs, eligibility, training and pay. A career profile does not confirm that a program is available.

Salary reference

35,680–45,280 USD per year · United States · 2025. Source: BLS OEWS via O*NET · 25th–75th percentiles · SOC 51-6061.

Occupational-group wage references are not guaranteed pay for this specialty or an employer's offer.

Career advancement

Develop reliable production, safety, quality, and equipment skills; explore additional processes, senior specialist, or team-lead responsibilities relevant to your workplace.
Ask employers which demonstrated skills, education, or credentials are needed for the next role. Related careers are exploration options, not automatic promotions.

How Do I Get This Job?

Review the skills and responsibilities above.
Most frequently reported education in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (55.98% of responses). This is survey context, not a universal hiring requirement. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
O*NET Job Zone 2: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training. 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. This is broad occupational preparation context; confirm the requirements for a specific employer or apprenticeship.
Compare real openings and confirm requirements directly with the employer.

View available jobs — availability is not guaranteed; sample listings are not real openings.

Related career information

Sources and limitations

O*NET® 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, under CC BY 4.0. ShopFloor adapted occupational grouping, selected manufacturing-relevant occupations, and retained seven legacy guide titles. Specialties and alternative titles are grouped under O*NET occupations; these occupations can also occur outside manufacturing. Source: https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html. No wage, vacancy, certification, or video data is implied. ShopFloor advancement suggestions are general editorial guidance, not O*NET findings or guaranteed career progression. BLS wage ranges, when available, are national 25th–75th percentiles for the source occupational grouping, across industries; they are not local, apprentice, entry-level, or specialty-specific offers.

Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders