Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders: Job Description
Operate or tend food or tobacco roasting, baking, or drying equipment, including hearth ovens, kiln driers, roasters, char kilns, and vacuum drying equipment.
Featured schools near , edit
What Tasks Do Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders Do?
Typical responsibilities of food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders include:
- 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.
- Observe flow of materials and listen for machine malfunctions, such as jamming or spillage, and notify supervisors if corrective actions fail.
- Record production data, such as weight and amount of product processed, type of product, and time and temperature of processing.
- Weigh or measure products, using scale hoppers or scale conveyors.
- Operate or tend equipment that roasts, bakes, dries, or cures food items such as cocoa and coffee beans, grains, nuts, and bakery products.
- Signal coworkers to synchronize flow of materials.
Skills and Knowledge
Top food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The competencies most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Types of Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- Automatic Oven Operator
- Bakery Production Associate
- Bakery Production Worker
- Bakery Worker
- Baking Assistant
- Bean Roaster
- Belt Conveyor Drier
- Bone Char Kiln Operator
How Many Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders Are There?
There are about 109,772 food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +5.5% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $37,587 |
| Hourly median | $18.07 |
| 10th percentile | $20,746 |
| 25th percentile | $29,167 |
| 75th percentile | $46,007 |
| 90th percentile | $54,427 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Colorado | $59,990 |
| Maryland | $53,940 |
| North Dakota | $52,080 |
| North Carolina | $51,810 |
| Wisconsin | $49,160 |
| Maine | $48,590 |
| Minnesota | $47,850 |
| Montana | $47,320 |
| Massachusetts | $47,160 |
| Nevada | $47,030 |
| Iowa | $45,570 |
| Indiana | $45,550 |
| Missouri | $45,150 |
| California | $45,140 |
| Tennessee | $45,070 |
| Oregon | $44,300 |
| Washington | $44,150 |
| Michigan | $43,770 |
| Virginia | $43,690 |
| South Carolina | $43,650 |
| South Dakota | $43,630 |
| Rhode Island | $43,240 |
| Kentucky | $42,970 |
| Ohio | $42,810 |
| Kansas | $42,450 |
| Connecticut | $42,420 |
| Hawaii | $42,070 |
| Nebraska | $41,430 |
| Illinois | $41,310 |
| Utah | $40,500 |
| Idaho | $40,040 |
| Vermont | $39,670 |
| Arkansas | $39,430 |
| Arizona | $39,400 |
| New Jersey | $37,330 |
| Texas | $37,070 |
| Louisiana | $36,720 |
| Florida | $36,500 |
| Oklahoma | $36,490 |
| New York | $36,190 |
| Georgia | $35,510 |
| New Mexico | $35,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $33,530 |
Where Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders Earn the Most
Earnings for food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Mountains | $49,274 | 5.4% | 1.73 |
| New England | $45,377 | 3.2% | 1.36 |
| Plains States | $45,257 | 18.5% | 2.73 |
| Great Lakes | $45,003 | 16.0% | 1.37 |
| Far Western US | $44,932 | 15.5% | 0.90 |
| Southeast | $43,393 | 21.1% | 1.13 |
| Middle Atlantic | $38,207 | 7.5% | 1.08 |
| Southwest | $36,960 | 12.9% | 1.14 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | CO | $64,670 | |
| Appleton, WI | WI | $56,230 | 90 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $54,540 | 100 |
| Modesto, CA | CA | $52,420 | 90 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | ME | $51,760 | 50 |
| Columbia, SC | SC | $51,340 | 160 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $51,250 | 130 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | NV | $50,970 | 130 |
Which Industries Hire Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders
The bulk of food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 14,880 | $43,110 |
| Wholesale Trade | 1,970 | $39,890 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 950 | $45,760 |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 730 | $39,260 |
| Retail Trade | 700 | $36,170 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 220 | $33,280 |
Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders work in the following industries:
Software Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders Use
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The work environment for food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Spend Time Standing
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled
- Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
Education and Training
Entry-level food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products (Primary-Short)
- Agricultural Equipment Operators (Supplemental)
- Bakers (Supplemental)
- Food Batchmakers (Primary-Short)
- Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders (Primary-Short)
- Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders (Supplemental)
- Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders (Supplemental)
References
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 51-3091.00 (Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders).
Course Advisor provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© Course Advisor – All Rights Reserved.