Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders: Career Overview
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.
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The Daily Work of Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders Do?
Typical responsibilities of furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders include:
- 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.
What Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders Need to Know
Top furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The abilities most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Other Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Ager Operator
- Annealer
- Annealing Operator
- Autoclave Operator
- Automated Process Operator
- Back Tender
- Backing-in Machine Tender
- Ballman
Job Outlook
There are roughly 535,060 furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to decline by -1.0% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $66,383 |
| Hourly median | $31.92 |
| 10th percentile | $36,544 |
| 25th percentile | $51,464 |
| 75th percentile | $81,302 |
| 90th percentile | $96,222 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Kentucky | $75,220 |
| Maryland | $75,000 |
| Wyoming | $74,530 |
| Nevada | $66,800 |
| Virginia | $64,510 |
| Minnesota | $60,130 |
| Massachusetts | $59,760 |
| New Jersey | $58,510 |
| Illinois | $57,140 |
| Idaho | $56,540 |
| Iowa | $55,800 |
| Washington | $54,060 |
| Missouri | $53,670 |
| New York | $53,650 |
| West Virginia | $52,640 |
| Indiana | $52,000 |
| New Hampshire | $51,300 |
| North Dakota | $51,080 |
| Oregon | $50,620 |
| Wisconsin | $50,220 |
| Nebraska | $49,300 |
| Alabama | $49,010 |
| Maine | $48,600 |
| Colorado | $48,320 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,080 |
| Georgia | $47,170 |
| Kansas | $46,570 |
| South Carolina | $46,420 |
| Louisiana | $46,350 |
| Arkansas | $45,510 |
| California | $44,340 |
| Tennessee | $43,880 |
| Mississippi | $43,680 |
| Connecticut | $43,300 |
| Oklahoma | $43,230 |
| Texas | $43,080 |
| South Dakota | $43,010 |
| Michigan | $42,360 |
| Vermont | $41,450 |
| North Carolina | $41,270 |
| Arizona | $40,490 |
| Ohio | $40,060 |
| Florida | $38,370 |
| Utah | $37,180 |
| Montana | $29,330 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Pay for furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders shift depending on where you work. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $55,038 | 10.7% | 0.78 |
| New England | $52,873 | 1.8% | 0.55 |
| Plains States | $51,531 | 6.8% | 1.33 |
| Far Western US | $48,720 | 13.7% | 1.22 |
| Southeast | $47,750 | 33.7% | 2.23 |
| Great Lakes | $46,683 | 20.8% | 1.67 |
| Rocky Mountains | $45,678 | 3.3% | 1.23 |
| Southwest | $42,714 | 9.2% | 0.93 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | KY | $79,270 | 90 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | MD | $75,010 | |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | WA | $66,830 | 50 |
| Richmond, VA | VA | $62,620 | 30 |
| Vineland, NJ | NJ | $62,480 | 80 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | PA | $61,770 | 120 |
| Madison, WI | WI | $60,700 | 50 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | MN | $60,100 | 60 |
Industry Breakdown
Most furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 13,870 | $47,290 |
| Wholesale Trade | 620 | $46,960 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 580 | $56,070 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 410 | $38,170 |
| Retail Trade | 400 | $36,510 |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 50 | $40,470 |
Below are examples of industries where furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders work:
Tech Stack
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The work environment for furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
- Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
- Exposed to Contaminants
- Health and Safety of Other Workers
Education and Training
Typical furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics (Supplemental)
- Maintenance Workers, Machinery (Supplemental)
- Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders (Primary-Long)
- Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders (Primary-Short)
- Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Primary-Short)
- Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders (Primary-Long)
Sources
This profile draws on 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: 51-9051.00 (Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders).
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