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Emerging Occupations

Landfill Gas Plant Operator

Landfill gas plant operators control automated processes that convert methane gas from landfills to fuel used to generate electricity.

This is an emerging occupation. It may have evolved from an existing occupation or emerged in response to consumer needs or technological advances.

Also Known As

Methane Gas Collection System Operator

NOC Codes

In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.

The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used.

Here is how this occupation has been classified over time.

2006 NOC

  • 9232: Petroleum, Gas and Chemical Process Operators*

2006 NOC-S

  • J112: Petroleum, Gas and Chemical Process Operators*

2011 NOC

  • 9232: Petroleum, gas and chemical process operators*

2016 NOC

  • 9232: Central control and process operators, petroleum, gas and chemical processing*

2021 NOC

  • 93101: Central control and process operators, petroleum, gas and chemical processing*

2023 OaSIS

  • 93101.00: Central control and process operators, petroleum, gas and chemical processing*

*This NOC group is considered similar to the Landfill Gas Plant Operator occupation. Because this occupation is only similar to the NOC group, related details and labour market information may not be accurate.

Duties
Updated Mar 04, 2021

Solid waste releases methane gas and carbon dioxide as it decomposes in landfills. Gas wells are drilled approximately 25 metres deep into a landfill and are connected underground to a network of pipes that deliver the methane gas to recovery plants.

Captured methane gas can be used to generate electricity or cleaned (separated from carbon dioxide) to generate renewable natural gas. 1 tonne of organic waste can produce the energy equivalent of 1 barrel of oil.

Landfill gas plant operators’ duties vary depending on the size of the gas plant. In large plants, more operators usually are required and their jobs are more specialized. Smaller gas plants require fewer people who may have a wider range of duties. In general, landfill gas plant operators:

  • Monitor and control landfill gas extraction wells
  • Read meters, gauges or automatic recording devices at specified intervals
  • Test air samples for signs of gas or chemical leaks
  • Operate computerized control panels to manage gas compression operations
  • Perform normal and emergency operation start-up or shutdown procedures
  • Diagnose and troubleshoot gas collection equipment and control systems
  • Repair, overhaul and maintain landfill gas-burning engines
  • Monitor emission data and maintain records

Landfill gas plant operators work closely with landfill operating staff and sub-contractors involved in landfill gas collection.

Working Conditions
Updated Mar 04, 2021
  • Strength Required Lift up to 20 kg

Landfill gas plant operators may spend about half of their time outdoors. Their job requires a considerable amount of walking, crouching, bending, kneeling and lifting. Landfill gas recovery plants operate 24 hours a day, so operators are required to work 8- or 12-hour shifts.

Methane gas is poisonous, flammable and lighter than air. It may explode if it migrates to the landfill’s surface and becomes concentrated in an area where there is an ignition source. Therefore, landfill gas plant operators must follow safety procedures to prevent injury.

Interests & Abilities

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2006 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.

Petroleum, Gas and Chemical Process Operators*

2006 NOC: 9232

*This data is for a NOC group that is similar to the Landfill Gas Plant Operator occupation.

Interest Codes

Interest Codes for This NOC Group
OBJECTIVE

Interest in controlling process start-up, shut-down and troubleshooting; and in operating electronic or computerized control panels from a central control room; and in shutting down, isolating and preparing process units or production equipment for maintenance

INNOVATIVE

Interest in analyzing information to develop operator procedures for normal operations, start-up and shut-down of units; and in participating in safety audits and programs, and in providing emergency response when required

directive

Interest in speaking with team members and trainees to authorize or co-sign maintenance work orders; in ensuring adherence to safety and environmental regulations; may work in a team with shared supervisory responsibilities and participate in training other workers

Your Interest Codes

To identify or change your interest codes, complete the Interests Exercise in CAREERinsite.

Reading Interest Codes
A Quick Guide

The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation. 

It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective, and Social.

Each set of 3 interest codes for this NOC group is listed in order of importance.

A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.

A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.

Learn About Interests

Abilities

Typical ability expectations for this NOC group
Your abilities

To fill in or change the values for your abilities, complete the Abilities Exercise in CAREERinsite.

Mental Abilities

General Learning Ability

Verbal Ability

Numerical Ability

Visual Abilities

Spatial Perception

Form Perception

Clerical Perception

Physical Abilities

Motor Coordination

Finger Dexterity

Manual Dexterity

Understanding Abilities

A Quick Guide

You are born with abilities that help you process certain types of information and turn it into action. These abilities influence which skills you can learn more easily.

The abilities or aptitudes shown for this NOC group come from the General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB). The GATB measures 9 aptitudes. It groups them into 3 categories: mental, visual, and physical.

The abilities scores range from 1 to 5, with 5 being stronger.

Learn About Abilities

Traits & Skills
Updated Mar 04, 2021

Landfill gas plant operators need:

  • Good judgment
  • Mechanical aptitude
  • Manual dexterity
  • Agility and endurance
  • Math skills
  • Communication skills in English
  • The ability to work alone with limited supervision

They should enjoy controlling equipment, instruments and machinery, analyzing information to solve problems and working with others in a team.

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.

Top 10 Skills Employers Are Looking For

Central control and process operators, petroleum, gas and chemical processing*

2016 NOC: 9232

*This data is for a NOC group that is similar to the Landfill Gas Plant Operator occupation.

This chart shows which job skills are currently in highest demand for this occupational group. It was created using this occupation's 20 most recent Alberta job postings, collected between May 23, 2022 and Mar 07, 2024.

Review these skills to learn:

  • Whether or not this occupation matches your skill set
  • What training you may need to get these skills
  • What skills to highlight in your resumé, cover letter, and interview.
Health benefits: Health care plan
Health benefits: Dental plan
Tasks: Adjust equipment, valves, pumps and controls and process equipment
Tasks: Ensure adherence to safety regulations
Tasks: Monitor outside process equipment
Construction Specialization: Team player
Tasks: Participate in training of other workers
Tasks: Work in a team with shared supervisory responsibilities
Work Setting: Remote location
Tasks: Operate electronic or computerized control panel from a central control room
Educational Requirements
Updated Mar 04, 2021
  • Minimum Education High school diploma

Most emerging occupations develop from more than one occupation. People working in this occupation may come from a variety of education and training backgrounds. Before enrolling in an education program, prospective students should contact associations and employers in this field to investigate education options and employment possibilities.

Employers generally prefer to hire applicants who have a high school diploma with courses in mathematics, chemistry and physics. The following safety courses also may be required or recommended:

  • Confined Space Entry
  • Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)
  • Hydrogen Sulfide Awareness (H2S)
  • Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG)
  • First Aid and CPR

Landfill gas plant operators also should know about:

  • High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) piping extensively used in landfill gas collection systems
  • Liquid and gas state flow mechanics (physics related)

An Alberta Power Engineering Certificate may be required. In Alberta, power engineers are certified through the Alberta Boiler Safety Association. There are 5 levels of certification, starting from Class 5 to Class 1. Each level of certification has different training and employment experience requirements. For more information, see the Power Engineer occupational profile.


Related Education

The following schools offer programs or courses that are related to this occupation but are not required to enter the field.

Northern Lakes College
Northwestern Polytechnic
Southern Alberta Institute of Technology

To expand or narrow your search for programs related to this occupation, visit Post-Secondary Programs.

Completing a program does not guarantee entrance into an occupation. Before enrolling in an education program, prospective students should look into various sources for education options and employment possibilities. For example, contact associations and employers in this field.

Certification Requirements
Updated Mar 04, 2021
  • Certification Not Regulated

There is currently no provincial legislation regulating this occupation in Alberta.

Employment & Advancement
Updated Mar 04, 2021

Emerging occupations typically are the result of:

  • An increased human need
  • Technological advances
  • Greater specialization within an occupation

Often there are too few people working in an emerging occupation to gather survey information. Therefore, it can be difficult to define advancement opportunities or employment outlook. Some Albertans already are working in this emerging occupation, but future demand for it is unknown.

Landfill gas plant operators work for:

  • Municipal governments
  • Waste management companies that contract their services to municipalities

Industry Concentration

This section shows the industries where the majority of people in this occupation work. The data is based on the 2016 Census.

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.

In the 9232: Central control and process operators, petroleum, gas and chemical processing* occupational group, 77.9% of people work in:

*This data is for a NOC group that is similar to the Landfill Gas Plant Operator occupation.

Employment Outlook

Employment outlook is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:

  • Time of year (for seasonal jobs)
  • Location in Alberta
  • Employment turnover (when people leave existing positions)
  • Occupational growth (when new positions are created)
  • Size of the occupation
  • Trends and events that affect overall employment

Explore emerging workplace trends in Alberta that could affect this occupation.

In Alberta, the 9232: Petroleum, gas and chemical process operators* occupational group is expected to have a below-average annual growth of 1.3% from 2019 to 2023. In addition to job openings created by employment turnover, 78 new positions are forecasted to be created within this occupational group each year.

*This data is for a NOC group that is similar to the Landfill Gas Plant Operator occupation.

Note
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For example, only some of the new positions to be created will be for this occupation. It also applies to other data for the NOC group such as number of people employed.

Source: 2019-2023 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook

Related Alberta Job Postings
Wage & Salary
Updated Mar 04, 2021

Salaries for landfill gas plant operators vary depending on the plant and the qualifications of the operator.

Often there are too few people working in an emerging occupation to gather survey information. Therefore, no current provincial salary data is available for this occupation.

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.

Central control and process operators, petroleum, gas and chemical processing*

2016 NOC: 9232

*This data is for a NOC group that is similar to the Landfill Gas Plant Operator occupation.

Average Wage
$50.78
Per Hour
Average Salary
$105,676.00
Per Year
Average Hours
40.3
Per Week
Average Months on Payroll
12
Survey Methodology Survey Analysis

Source
2021 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey

NOC 9232 Wage Profile

Unless otherwise noted, the data shown here is for all industries and all regions in Alberta.

All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production), and other forms of compensation.

To see the full survey data for this NOC group, visit the wage profile.

Other wage sources
To make an informed wage and salary decision, research other wage sources [pdf] to supplement this data.

C: Lower Reliability
Data Reliability Code Definition

Lower Reliability, represents a CV of between 15.01% and 33.00% and/or if fewer than 20 survey observations and/or if survey observations represent less than 33% of all estimated employment for the occupation.


Hourly Wage

For full-time and part-time employees
  • Low
  • High
  • Average
  • Median
Starting
Overall
Top

Hourly Wage

For full-time and part-time employees
Wages* Low (5th percentile) High (95th percentile) Average Median
Starting $27.85 $62.02 $39.46 $37.00
Overall $35.13 $74.99 $50.78 $50.62
Top $44.85 $90.80 $59.57 $57.50

Swipe left and right to view all data. Scroll left and right to view all data.

* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.

Pay brackets for hourly wages

  • Starting pay: average pay offered for entry-level positions
  • Overall pay: average pay across all employees in this occupation
  • Top pay: average pay offered to top-paid employees

Industry Information

ALL INDUSTRIES
Manufacturing

Skills Shortage

Employers that Recruited in the Last 2 Years
51%
51%)
Recruiting Employers that Experienced Hiring Difficulties
11%
11%
Employers with Unfilled Vacancies of over 4 Months
5%
5%
Vacancy Rate
N/A
Related Post-Secondary Field of Study
  • Trades, Industrial and Related Training
Other Sources of Information
Updated Mar 04, 2021

Alberta Boilers Safety Association (ABSA) website: absa.ca

ECO Canada website: eco.ca

Get information and referrals about career, education, and employment options from Alberta Supports.

Updated Mar 04, 2021. The information contained in this profile is current as of the dates shown. Salary, employment outlook, and educational program information may change without notice. It is advised that you confirm this information before making any career decisions.

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