These are the civilian jobs the U.S. Department of Labor maps to 74D, plus the roles most closely related to them—ordered from the closest match. Think of them as a floor, not a ceiling: see what each role involves and pays, start where your Chemical Operations Specialist experience already fits, and build toward the rest.
Hazardous Materials Removal Workers
$47,280/yr mediantypical $36k–$82k~50K U.S. jobs
Typical entry: Associate degree, apprenticeship, or vocational training
Identify, remove, pack, transport, or dispose of hazardous materials, including asbestos, lead-based paint, waste oil, fuel, transmission fluid, radioactive materials, or contaminated soil.
Why it fits: A direct Department of Labor match—your Chemical Operations Specialist work maps straight onto the construction & skilled trades side of this role.
Recycling and Reclamation Workers
$37,660/yr mediantypical $29k–$50k~3M U.S. jobs
★ Bright Outlook — many openings
Typical entry: High-school diploma plus short on-the-job training
Prepare and sort materials or products for recycling. Identify and remove hazardous substances. Dismantle components of products such as appliances.
Why it fits: Closely related to your Chemical Operations Specialist occupations on the transportation & logistics side—a natural next step.
Highway Maintenance Workers
$47,360/yr mediantypical $32k–$66k~151K U.S. jobs
Typical entry: High-school diploma plus short on-the-job training
Maintain highways, municipal and rural roads, airport runways, and rights-of-way.
Why it fits: Closely related to your Chemical Operations Specialist occupations on the construction & skilled trades side—a natural next step.
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators
$54,890/yr mediantypical $37k–$83k~121K U.S. jobs
Typical entry: Associate degree, apprenticeship, or vocational training
Operate or control an entire process or system of machines, often through the use of control boards, to transfer or treat water or wastewater.
Why it fits: Closely related to your Chemical Operations Specialist occupations on the manufacturing & production side—a natural next step.
Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners
$46,910/yr mediantypical $34k–$69k~28K U.S. jobs
★ Bright Outlook — Rapid growth
Typical entry: Little prep — a few days to a few months of training
Clean and repair septic tanks, sewer lines, or drains. May patch walls and partitions of tank, replace damaged drain tile, or repair breaks in underground piping.
Why it fits: Closely related to your Chemical Operations Specialist occupations on the construction & skilled trades side—a natural next step.
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors
$45,760/yr mediantypical $30k–$68k~135K U.S. jobs
Typical entry: High-school diploma plus short on-the-job training
Collect and dump refuse or recyclable materials from containers into truck.
Why it fits: Closely related to your Chemical Operations Specialist occupations on the transportation & logistics side—a natural next step.
Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall
$47,540/yr mediantypical $33k–$78k~39K U.S. jobs
Typical entry: High-school diploma plus short on-the-job training
Line and cover structures with insulating materials. May work with batt, roll, or blown insulation materials.
Why it fits: Closely related to your Chemical Operations Specialist occupations on the construction & skilled trades side—a natural next step.
