Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz
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Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders
Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders operate or tend food or tobacco roasting, baking, or drying equipment, including hearth ovens, kiln driers, roasters, char kilns, and vacuum drying equipment.
Table of contents
What they do
Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders operate or tend food or tobacco roasting, baking, or drying equipment, including hearth ovens, kiln driers, roasters, char kilns, and vacuum drying equipment.
- Observe, feel, taste, or otherwise examine products during and after processing to ensure conformance to standards.
- Take product samples during or after processing for laboratory analyses.
- 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.
Typical day
On a daily basis, Food Machine Operators observe, feel, taste, or otherwise examine products during and after processing to ensure conformance to standards. They record production data, such as weight and amount of product processed, type of product, and time and temperature of processing.
A typical day for a Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking and Drying Machine Operator and Tender will also include:
- Take product samples during or after processing for laboratory analyses.
- 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.
- Clean equipment with steam, hot water, and hoses.
- Test products for moisture content, using moisture meters.
Other responsibilities
Besides their typical day, Food Machine Operators also clean equipment with steam, hot water, and hoses. They may also install equipment, such as spray units, cutting blades, or screens, using hand tools.
On a weekly to monthly basis, Food Machine Operators smooth out products in bins, pans, trays, or conveyors, using rakes or shovels. They might also dump sugar dust from collectors into melting tanks and add water to reclaim sugar lost during processing.
In addition, they open valves, gates, or chutes or use shovels to load or remove products from ovens or other equipment.
Although specific duties may vary, many of them weigh or measure products, using scale hoppers or scale conveyors.
To some Food Machine Operators, it is also their responsibility to start conveyors to move roasted grain to cooling pans and agitate grain with rakes as blowers force air through perforated bottoms of pans.
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What is the job like
Job satisfaction
Is this job meaningful
68% said they were satisfied with their job and 52% said they found their job meaningful.
Pros
Suitable for people who like practical and hands-on work.
Suitable for people who wants to work in a supportive work environment.
This career is perfect for people who love to work indoors.
It is easy to get into this career. Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for this career.
Cons
Not suitable for people who like to help and teach others.
One of the lowest paying jobs.
How much do they make
Average salary
Average hourly wage
Entry-level Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $22,530 to $27,060 per year or $11 to $13 per hour.
| Salary by experience | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Highest (Top 10%) | $52,940 | $25 |
| Senior (Top 25%) | $41,410 | $20 |
| Median | $32,480 | $16 |
| Junior (Bottom 25%) | $27,060 | $13 |
| No experience (Bottom 10%) | $22,530 | $11 |
This table shows the top 10 highest paying industries for Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders based on their average annual salary.
| Salary by industry | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Tobacco Manufacturing | $52240 | $25.12 |
| Grain and Oilseed Milling | $45680 | $21.96 |
| Dairy Product Manufacturing | $40920 | $19.67 |
| Restaurants and Other Eating Places | $40770 | $19.60 |
| Animal Food Manufacturing | $37970 | $18.25 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $36220 | $17.41 |
| Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing | $35910 | $17.27 |
| Other Food Manufacturing | $35190 | $16.92 |
| Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging | $34960 | $16.81 |
| Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing | $34790 | $16.73 |
View more salary by industries here.
Where can they work
Where can Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders work? Here is a table showing the top 10 largest employers of Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders including the average salary in that industry.
| Employers | Total Employed | Annual Salary | Hourly Wages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other Food Manufacturing | 3670 | $35190 | $16.92 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing | 2760 | $33070 | $15.90 |
| Animal Slaughtering and Processing | 2230 | $32470 | $15.61 |
| Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing | 2170 | $34790 | $16.73 |
| Food and Beverage Stores | 1490 | $25240 | $12.13 |
| Restaurants and Other Eating Places | 1200 | $40770 | $19.60 |
| Dairy Product Manufacturing | 780 | $40920 | $19.67 |
| Grain and Oilseed Milling | 740 | $45680 | $21.96 |
| Tobacco Manufacturing | 730 | $52240 | $25.12 |
| Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing | 680 | $35910 | $17.27 |
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What is the work day like
Working hours
Working schedule
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Telephone
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Group discussions
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Public speaking
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Level of competition
How much competitive pressure is in this job?
What is the work environment like
Office-style environment
Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition
Warehouse-style environment
Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse
Outdoors
Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions
Outdoors – Under Cover
Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)
How to become one
Difficulty to become one
Required level of education
What level of education do you need to perform the job?
Relevant majors
Relevant work experience
How much related work experience do you need to get hired for the job?
On The Job Training
How much on the job training do you need to perform the job?
Should you become one
Best personality type for this career
People with this personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
People with The Builder personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
People with The Thinker personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.
People with The Artist personality likes to work with designs and patterns. They prefer activities that require self-expression and prefer work that can be done without following a clear set of rules.
People with The Helper personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.
People with The Leader personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.
People with The Organizer personality type likes to follow set procedures and routines. They prefer working with data and details more than with ideas.
You can read more about these career personality types here.
People who are suitable for this job tends to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery..
They also like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.
Take this quiz to see if this is the right career for you.
Work Values
Which values are the most important to a person’s satisfaction for this job?
You are someone who is results oriented. You prefer work that allows you to utilize your skills and abilities while at the same time giving you a sense of accomplishment.
You are someone who values job security, steady employment, and good working conditions. You also prefer work that keeps you busy all the time with something different to do every day.
You are someone who values job advancement and leadership roles. You prefer work that receives recognition for the work you do and jobs that are looked up to by others in the company and your community.
You are someone who likes to provide a service to others. You prefer a work environment where you can work with your co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.
You are someone who values a company that stands behind their employees. You prefer a work environment where everyone is treated fairly and is being supported by the company.
You are someone who likes to work on your own and make your own decisions. You prefer work that requires little supervision and are allowed to try out your own ideas.
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