Education:
61%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
23%
Less than a High School Diploma
Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders
This is a sub-career of
Food Processing Equipment Worker
More sub-careers
Select a specialized sub-career for more details.
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Job Outlook:
Faster than average
Education:
None
Salary
High:
$55,110.00
Average:
$39,770.00
Hourly
Average:
$19.12
What they do:
Operate or tend food or tobacco roasting, baking, or drying equipment, including hearth ovens, kiln driers, roasters, char kilns, and vacuum drying equipment.
On the job, you would:
- Observe, feel, taste, or otherwise examine products during and after processing to ensure conformance to standards.
- Set temperature and time controls, light ovens, burners, driers, or roasters, and start equipment, such as conveyors, cylinders, blowers, driers, or pumps.
- Observe temperature, humidity, pressure gauges, and product samples and adjust controls, such as thermostats and valves, to maintain prescribed operating conditions for specific stages.
Important Qualities
Detail oriented. Workers must be able to detect small changes in the quality or quantity of food products. They must also follow health and safety standards to avoid injury and prevent food contamination.
Physical stamina. Workers stand for long periods as they tend machines and monitor the production process.
Physical strength. Food processing equipment workers must be able to lift or move heavy boxes of ingredients, which may weigh up to 50 pounds.
Math skills. Workers may need math skills in order to accurately mix specific quantities of ingredients.
Personality
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Characteristics of this Career |
|---|---|---|---|
|
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81% | Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations. | |
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76% | Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done. | |
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75% | Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks. | |
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72% | Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude. | |
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69% | Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations. | |
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66% | Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges. | |
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65% | Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Strengths |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
100% | Realistic - Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Values of the Work Environment |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
61% | Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical. |
Aptitude
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Abilities | Cognitive, Physical, Personality |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
69% | Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer). |
Job Details
Responsibilities
Inspect food products.
Evaluate quality of food ingredients or prepared foods.
Monitor instruments to ensure proper production conditions.
Operate cooking, baking, or other food preparation equipment.
Adjust temperature controls of ovens or other heating equipment.
Operate pumping systems or equipment.
Watch operating equipment to detect malfunctions.
Notify others of equipment repair or maintenance needs.
Record operational or production data.
Weigh finished products.
Measure dimensions of completed products or workpieces to verify conformance to specifications.
Read work orders or other instructions to determine product specifications or materials requirements.
Collect samples of materials or products for testing.
Remove products or workpieces from production equipment.
Adjust equipment controls to regulate flow of production materials or products.
Sterilize food cooking or processing equipment.
Clear equipment jams.
Move products, materials, or equipment between work areas.
Feed materials or products into or through equipment.
Position raw materials on processing or production equipment.
Mount attachments or tools onto production equipment.
Inspect food products.
Signal others to coordinate work activities.
Load materials into production equipment.
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
96% | Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets - How much does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets? | |
|
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95% | Spend Time Standing - How much does this job require standing? | |
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85% | Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job? | |
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84% | Sounds, Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable - How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable? | |
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84% | Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in non-controlled environmental conditions (e.g., warehouse without heat)? | |
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83% | Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job? | |
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80% | Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls - How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls? | |
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76% | Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines? | |
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75% | Very Hot or Cold Temperatures - How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures? | |
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74% | Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it? | |
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71% | Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment - How important is it to this job that the pace is determined by the speed of equipment or machinery? (This does not refer to keeping busy at all times on this job.) | |
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69% | Consequence of Error - How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not readily correctable? | |
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68% | Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job? | |
|
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75% | Duration of Typical Work Week - Number of hours typically worked in one week. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Tasks & Values |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
78% | Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems. | |
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75% | Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. | |
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75% | Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. | |
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74% | Controlling Machines and Processes - Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles). | |
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74% | Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. | |
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71% | Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects. | |
|
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69% | Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. | |
|
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65% | Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts. |
What Food Processing Equipment Workers Do
A food batchmaker stirs curd to make cheese.
Food processing equipment workers operate machinery that mixes, cooks, or processes ingredients for manufacturing food products.
Duties
Food processing equipment workers typically do the following:
- Set up, start, or load food processing equipment
- Check, weigh, and mix ingredients according to recipes
- Set and control temperatures, flow rates, and pressures of machinery
- Monitor and adjust ingredient mixes during production processes
- Observe and regulate equipment gauges and controls
- Record batch production data
- Clean workspaces and equipment according to health and safety standards
- Check final products to ensure quality
Food processing equipment workers often have different duties depending on the type of machinery they use or the goods they process. Job titles may be specific to the type of food workers produce.
Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders run equipment that uses dry heat to make food or tobacco products. For example, coffee roasters follow recipes and tend machines to produce standard or specialty coffees; dryers of fruits and vegetables operate machines that produce raisins, prunes, and other dehydrated foods.
Food batchmakers operate equipment that mixes or blends ingredients to produce shelf-stable, refrigerated, or frozen foods. For example, cheese makers load raw ingredients into machinery, monitoring the temperature and consistency throughout the production process; candy makers may operate machinery to shape, stretch, or mold lollipops, gumdrops, and other sweets.
Food cooking machine operators and tenders oversee equipment that makes steamed, fried, boiled, or related food products. For example, dumpling machine operators set up and monitor commercial steamers and potato chip manufacturing workers may operate frying equipment.
Other food processing equipment workers operate machines that mix spices, mill grains, or extract oil from seeds.
Work Environment
Food and tobacco processing workers held about 269,200 jobs in 2022. Employment in the detailed occupations that make up food and tobacco processing workers was distributed as follows:
| Food batchmakers | 171,500 |
| Food processing workers, all other | 48,800 |
| Food cooking machine operators and tenders | 27,300 |
| Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders | 21,500 |
The largest employers of food and tobacco processing workers were as follows:
| Food manufacturing | 76% |
| Employment services | 6 |
Food manufacturing facilities are typically large, open-floor areas with loud machinery. When operating cooking equipment, workers are frequently exposed to high temperatures. When working with goods that need to be refrigerated or frozen, they may be exposed to cold temperatures for long periods.
Depending on the type of food being processed, workers may be required to wear ear protection to guard against hearing loss in noisy facilities. They also may wear masks, hairnets, or gloves to prevent product contamination.
Workers usually stand during their shifts while tending machines or observing the production process. Loading, unloading, or cleaning equipment may require lifting, bending, and reaching.
Injuries and Illnesses
Food processing workers, all other, have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations. ("All other" titles represent occupations with a wide range of characteristics that do not fit into any of the other detailed occupations.) Working around hot liquids or machinery that cuts or presses can be dangerous. Common injuries include cuts or result from slips and falls.. To reduce the risks of injuries, workers are required to wear protective clothing and nonslip shoes.
Work Schedules
Most food processing equipment workers are employed full time; part-time work may be common for food cooking machine operators and tenders. Because of production schedules, shift work is common and may include early mornings, evenings, or nights.
Some food processing positions are seasonal.
Getting Started
How to Become a Food Processing Equipment Worker
Experienced workers show trainees how to properly use equipment.
Education requirements vary for food processing equipment workers. Some typically need no formal education credential; however, others typically need a high school diploma or equivalent. Food processing equipment workers usually learn their skills through on-the-job training.
Education
Employers may require or prefer that applicants to food processing equipment jobs have a high school diploma or equivalent.
Because these workers often adjust the quantity of ingredients that go into a mix, math and reading skills are helpful.
Training
Food processing equipment workers learn on the job. Training may last from a few weeks to a few months. During training, workers learn health and safety rules related to the type of food that they process, as well as how to operate specific equipment and detect malfunctions.
Experienced workers typically teach trainees how to properly use and care for equipment.
Job Outlook
Overall employment of food processing equipment workers is projected to grow 6 percent from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations.
About 39,900 openings for food processing equipment workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment
Projected employment of food processing equipment workers varies by occupation (see table). Population growth and continuing consumer preference for convenience foods are expected to drive the demand for food, which will in turn require more food processing workers to produce it. Some food manufacturing companies use equipment that automatically weighs and mixes ingredients, which requires fewer workers to operate machines.
Contacts for More Information
For more information about food processing equipment workers, visit
Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco Workers, and Grain Millers International (BCTGM)
Similar Occupations
This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of food processing equipment workers.
| Occupation | Job Duties | Entry-Level Education | Median Annual Pay, May 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Agricultural and Food Science Technicians |
Agricultural and food science technicians assist agricultural and food scientists. |
Associate's degree | $46,140 |
|
Bakers |
Bakers mix ingredients according to recipes in order to make breads, pastries, and other baked goods. |
No formal educational credential | $32,780 |
|
Butchers |
Butchers cut, trim, and package meat for retail sale. |
No formal educational credential | $36,930 |
|
Cooks |
Cooks season and prepare foods, including soups, salads, entrees, and desserts. |
See How to Become One | $30,910 |
|
Food Preparation Workers |
Food preparation workers perform a variety of tasks other than cooking, such as slicing meat and brewing coffee. |
No formal educational credential | $29,790 |
|
Metal and Plastic Machine Workers |
Metal and plastic machine workers set up and operate equipment that cuts, shapes, and forms metal and plastic materials or pieces. |
See How to Become One | $41,060 |