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Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders

ManufacturingO*NET 51-9051.00United States

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.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning
Median annual earnings
$46,881

50th percentile, United States

Projected change
+6.4%

2025 to 2035

Typical education
High school diploma or less

77.4% of the workforce

Employment
15.74K jobs

Growing to 16.75K 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 furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders do

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

  • Monitor equipment operation, gauges, and panel lights to detect deviations from standards.
  • Press and adjust controls to activate, set, and regulate equipment according to specifications.
  • Confer with supervisors or other equipment operators to report equipment malfunctions or to resolve production problems.
  • 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.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile
$34,384
25th percentile
$39,917
50th percentile
$46,881
75th percentile
$62,826
90th percentile
$79,882

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $46,881 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

+6.4%faster than average
202515,744 jobs
2035 projected16,753 jobs

1,009 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
77.4%
Certificate
15.9%
Some college
3.9%
Bachelor's degree
1.8%
Associate degree
1%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

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

  • Lifting Ability
  • Loading And Unloading
  • Forklift Truck
  • Furnaces
  • Housekeeping
  • Kilns
  • General Mathematics
  • Machinery
  • Mechanical Aptitude
  • Personal Protective Equipment
  • Machine Operation
  • Baking
  • Food Safety And Sanitation
  • Packaging And Labeling
  • Safety Standards
  • Overhead Crane Operation
  • Environment Health And Safety
  • Standard Operating Procedure
  • Hand Tools
  • Sanitation

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Operations Monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Operation and Control
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
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.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Quality Control Analysis
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Mathematics
Using mathematics to solve problems.
Instructing
Teaching others how to do something.
Troubleshooting
Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Management of Personnel Resources
Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
Negotiation
Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

  1. 01Furnace Operators354 postings
  2. 02Oven Operators225 postings
  3. 03Kiln Operators142 postings
  4. 04Kettle Coordinators76 postings
  5. 05AutoCAD Operators46 postings
  6. 06Operators31 postings
  7. 07Burners26 postings
  8. 08Machine Operators24 postings
  9. 09Bakery Managers20 postings
  10. 10Wire Annealers15 postings
  11. 11Operator Technicians14 postings
  12. 12Tenders13 postings
  13. 13Drivers/Operators11 postings
  14. 14Pizza Cooks10 postings
  15. 15Heat Treat Operators9 postings
  16. 16Kiln Firers8 postings
  17. 17Mixer Operators7 postings
  18. 18Pizza Makers7 postings
  19. 19Crane Operators6 postings
  20. 20Manufacturing Operators6 postings

Top employers

  1. 01RTX48 postings
  2. 02Daltile Corp28 postings
  3. 03Flowers Foods26 postings
  4. 04Mohawk Industries24 postings
  5. 05Aerotek19 postings
  6. 06Pratt & Whitney16 postings
  7. 07Kelly Services14 postings
  8. 08Adecco13 postings
  9. 09Doherty Staffing Solutions13 postings
  10. 10Pq Corporation12 postings
  11. 11Precision Castparts12 postings
  12. 12Aspire Bakeries10 postings
  13. 13Cargill10 postings
  14. 14Sabre Industries10 postings
  15. 15El Rancho9 postings
  16. 16Riceland Foods9 postings
  17. 17ManpowerGroup8 postings
  18. 18Michael Foods8 postings
  19. 19Bodycote7 postings
  20. 20State Heat Treating Co7 postings

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