Explore by Career/Production
Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders
Operate or tend heating equipment other than basic metal, plastic, or food processing equipment. Includes activities such as annealing glass, drying lumber, curing rubber, removing moisture from materials, or boiling soap.
- Median pay
- $47,010
- per year
- 10-year outlook
- +3%
- Stable
- Typical entry
- High school diploma or equivalent
Key skills
- Operations Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Operation and Control
- Quality Control Analysis
What they do
- Monitor equipment operation, gauges, and panel lights to detect deviations from standards.
- Confer with supervisors or other equipment operators to report equipment malfunctions or to resolve production problems.
- Press and adjust controls to activate, set, and regulate equipment according to specifications.
- Record gauge readings, test results, and shift production in log books.
- Read and interpret work orders and instructions to determine work assignments, process specifications, and production schedules.
- Examine or test samples of processed substances, or collect samples for laboratory testing, to ensure conformance to specifications.
- Transport materials and products to and from work areas, manually or using carts, handtrucks, or hoists.
- Stop equipment and clear blockages or jams, using fingers, wire, or hand tools.
- Load equipment receptacles or conveyors with material to be processed, by hand or using hoists.
- Remove products from equipment, manually or using hoists, and prepare them for storage, shipment, or additional processing.
Majors that lead here
No mapped majors yet.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections) and O*NET, used under CC BY 4.0.