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Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders

ManufacturingO*NET 51-9192.00United States

Operate or tend machines to wash or clean products, such as barrels or kegs, glass items, tin plate, food, pulp, coal, plastic, or rubber, to remove impurities.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning
Median annual earnings
$43,009

50th percentile, United States

Projected change
+5.8%

2025 to 2035

Typical education
High school diploma or less

91.5% of the workforce

Employment
17.78K jobs

Growing to 18.81K by 2035

Explore this career by location

Compare nationwide estimates with state or county job-market data.

Showing United States

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Build the skills

ASU learning related to this career

These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.

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The work

What cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders do

Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.

  • Add specified amounts of chemicals to equipment at required times to maintain solution levels and concentrations.
  • Observe machine operations, gauges, or thermometers, and adjust controls to maintain specified conditions.
  • Set controls to regulate temperature and length of cycles, and start conveyors, pumps, agitators, and machines.
  • Operate or tend machines to wash and remove impurities from items such as barrels or kegs, glass products, tin plate surfaces, dried fruit, pulp, animal stock, coal, manufactured articles, plastic, or rubber.
  • Drain, clean, and refill machines or tanks at designated intervals, using cleaning solutions or water.
  • Record gauge readings, materials used, processing times, or test results in production logs.
  • Examine and inspect machines to detect malfunctions.
  • Measure, weigh, or mix cleaning solutions, using measuring tanks, calibrated rods or suction tubes.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile
$32,329
25th percentile
$36,199
50th percentile
$43,009
75th percentile
$49,821
90th percentile
$60,727

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $43,009 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

+5.8%average or slower
202517,782 jobs
2035 projected18,811 jobs

1,029 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.

Preparation

Education levels

What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.

High school diploma or less
91.5%
Some college
3.9%
Associate degree
3.9%
Certificate
0.7%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.

  • Sanitation
  • Food Safety And Sanitation
  • Good Manufacturing Practices
  • Personal Protective Equipment
  • Lock Out / Tag Out
  • Warehousing
  • Production Equipment
  • Lifting Ability
  • Machinery
  • Heavy Equipment
  • Mopping
  • Working at Heights
  • Housekeeping
  • Floor Scrubbers
  • Pressure Washer
  • Standard Operating Procedure
  • Food Manufacturing
  • Landscaping
  • Hazard Analysis And Critical Control Points (HACCP)
  • Production Line

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Operation and Control
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Operations Monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Quality Control Analysis
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Troubleshooting
Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Management of Personnel Resources
Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
Equipment Maintenance
Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Instructing
Teaching others how to do something.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

  1. 01Sanitors363 postings
  2. 02Sanitizers187 postings
  3. 03Food Safety and Sanitation Managers110 postings
  4. 04Pressure Washers30 postings
  5. 05Sanitation Workers24 postings
  6. 06Warehouse Sanitation Associates19 postings
  7. 07Environmental Sanitarians16 postings
  8. 08Packaging Interns8 postings
  9. 09Production Cooks8 postings
  10. 10Janitors6 postings
  11. 11Night Sanitors6 postings
  12. 12Packaging Sales Managers5 postings
  13. 13Sanitation Associates5 postings
  14. 14Schedulers5 postings
  15. 15ADPE Technicians4 postings
  16. 16Manufacturing Specialists4 postings
  17. 17Power Washers4 postings
  18. 18Warehouse Drivers4 postings
  19. 19Cleanroom Operators3 postings
  20. 20Graveyard Assistants3 postings

Top employers

  1. 01Fortrex104 postings
  2. 02Frito Lay92 postings
  3. 03Smithfield Foods32 postings
  4. 04TRIMEDX30 postings
  5. 05The Coca-Cola Company30 postings
  6. 06Quality Custom Distribution22 postings
  7. 07Golden State Foods19 postings
  8. 08Rise Baking Company19 postings
  9. 09Publix17 postings
  10. 10PepsiCo15 postings
  11. 11Baldor Specialty Foods14 postings
  12. 12JBS Foods12 postings
  13. 13Gdi11 postings
  14. 14Window Genie11 postings
  15. 15Coca-Cola Consolidated10 postings
  16. 16Kroger10 postings
  17. 17Baldor Professional Services9 postings
  18. 18Conagra Brands9 postings
  19. 19Gdi Services9 postings
  20. 20Franz Bakery8 postings

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