About This Career

Manages operations at biomass power generation facilities. Directs work activities at plant, including supervision of operations and maintenance staff.

This career is part of the Business Management and Administration cluster Operations Management pathway.

A person in this career:

• Manages safety programs at power generation facilities.
• Reviews biomass operations performance specifications to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Reviews logs, datasheets, or reports to ensure adequate production levels and safe production environments or to identify abnormalities with power production equipment or processes.
• Supervises operations or maintenance employees in the production of power from biomass, such as wood, coal, paper sludge, or other waste or refuse.
• Supervises biomass plant or substation operations, maintenance, repair, or testing activities.
• Conducts field inspections of biomass plants, stations, or substations to ensure normal and safe operating conditions.
• Plans and schedules plant activities, such as wood, waste, or refuse fuel deliveries, ash removal, and regular maintenance.
• Prepares and manages biomass plant budgets.
• Evaluates power production or demand trends to identify opportunities for improved operations.
• Inspects biomass gasification processes, equipment, and facilities for ways to maximize capacity and minimize operating costs.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

• You would sit most of the time. There's some walking and standing. You may have to lift and carry things like books, papers or tools weighing 10 lbs. or less.
• Work in this occupation involves use of protective items such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, a hard hat, or personal flotation devices
• Exposure to pollutants, gases, dust, fumes, odors, poor ventilation, etc.
• Conditions are very hot (above 90 F) or very cold (under 32 F)
• Work in this occupation requires being inside most of the time
• Sound and noise levels are loud and distracting
• Work in this occupation requires being outside most of the time
• Work at heights above 8 feet more than once a month on structures such as ladders, poles, scaffolding, and catwalks

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

• Seeing clearly at a distance
• Seeing clearly up close
• Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
• Identifying and understanding the speech of another person

Work Hours and Travel

• Irregular hours
• Overtime work
• Rotating shift work
• Weekend work