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Overview
Water jet cutter operators set up and run machines that cut metal workpieces with high-pressure water, sometimes mixed with abrasive material.
In job descriptions, look for CNC or CAM setup, pressure settings, test runs, measuring equipment, blueprints, cutting waste, machine maintenance, protective gear and quality checks.
Explore this occupation
Search jobsWhat the work can involve
Water jet cutting is machine-based metal production. Operators prepare the cutter, load workpieces, set pressure and program data, run tests and remove finished parts without damaging edges or measurements.
Skills and specializations
Important skills include CAM use, CNC controller setup, reading blueprints, operating measuring equipment, recognizing unsuitable workpieces, handling abrasive cutting waste and maintaining pumps, nozzles and machine availability.
Salary context
Pay expectations are shaped by material value, tolerance demands, shift work, programming responsibility, maintenance duties, production pace and whether the role includes troubleshooting automated equipment.
Career paths
Development can move from machine tending into CNC programming, quality inspection, production planning, maintenance support, prototype cutting or supervision of metal processing cells.
Good to know
Check whether adverts mention water pressure, abrasive media, metal types, CAD or CAM files, test runs, protective gear and records for quality control. The title may sit inside a broader CNC operator role.
Editorial note
This guide gives editorial career context for water jet cutter operator work. It is not official labour-market statistics or salary data.
Where might this occupation occur?
This occupation may occur in several kinds of economic activity. Here are some examples and other occupations that may be found in the same areas.
Manufacture of basic iron and steel and of ferro-alloys
This is one example. Other occupations in this activity include plasma cutting machine operator and scrap metal operative.
Explore this activityThese examples offer an overview but do not show every economic activity where the occupation may occur.
About this information
The selection is based on how occupations are connected to economic activities in ESCO and NACE. Only a few examples are shown to make the information easier to use. The occupations were selected because they are close in occupation area and important skills. The examples are not a ranking. They do not show where most people work, where demand is highest, or which occupation is best suited to a particular person.
Map overview
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O*NET relationships
See occupations connected to this ESCO occupation in the official O*NET–ESCO mapping. The relationship type comes from the source and is not a ranking or recommendation.
O*NET relationships: 1
Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
51-9032.00
O*NET occupation is broader
The O*NET occupation covers a broader field of work than this ESCO occupation.
Open in O*NETSource and method
These relationships come from the official European Commission O*NET–ESCO crosswalk.
Relationship direction: O*NET occupation to ESCO occupation.
Several O*NET occupations can point to the same ESCO occupation, and one O*NET occupation can point to several ESCO occupations.
AltoTrail preserves the source relationship type. The order is technical and does not show which occupation is best, most relevant or recommended.
AltoTrail validates and presents the source relationships without adding ranking or recommendation semantics.
NACE Rev. 2.1
Economic activities linked to this occupation.
24.1Manufacture of basic iron and steel and of ferro-alloys
Alternative labels
water jet cutting machine operative
waterjet cutter apprentice
waterjet technician
waterjet cutter operator
water jet cutting machine technician
water jet operator
abrasive jet cutting machine operator
abrasive jet cutter technician
water-jet technician
waterjet cutting machine operative
CNC water jet cutting machine operator
waterjet cutter operative
water jet cutting machine operator
water jet technician
abrasive jet cutting machine technician
waterjet cutting machine operator
abrasive jet cutting machine operative
CNC waterjet cutting machine operator
waterjet cutting machine technician
abrasive jet cutter operator
CNC waterjet cutter operator
abrasive jet cutter operative
Occupation group
computer numerical control machine operator (7223.4)
Source facts
| ESCO URI | http://data.europa.eu/esco/occupation/1e3c3e4d-a888-426e-aaf0-022c8b5d743d |
|---|---|
| ESCO code | 7223.4.8 |
| ISCO group | 7223 |
| Concept type | Occupation |