What Do Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders Do

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Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz

Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders

Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders operate or tend cooking equipment, such as steam cooking vats, deep fry cookers, pressure cookers, kettles, and boilers, to prepare food products.

Salary
$34180
Becoming One
Easy
Education
No degree required
Job Satisfaction
Low
Job Growth
Low

Personality


What they do

Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders operate or tend cooking equipment, such as steam cooking vats, deep fry cookers, pressure cookers, kettles, and boilers, to prepare food products.

  • Tend or operate and control equipment, such as kettles, cookers, vats and tanks, and boilers, to cook ingredients or prepare products for further processing.
  • Set temperature, pressure, and time controls, and start conveyers, machines, or pumps.
  • Clean, wash, and sterilize equipment and cooking area, using water hoses, cleaning or sterilizing solutions, or rinses.
  • Observe gauges, dials, and product characteristics, and adjust controls to maintain appropriate temperature, pressure, and flow of ingredients.

Typical day

On a daily basis, Food Cooking Machine Operators read work orders, recipes, or formulas to determine cooking times and temperatures, and ingredient specifications. They admit required amounts of water, steam, cooking oils, or compressed air into equipment, such as by opening water valves to cool mixtures to the desired consistency.

A typical day for a Food Cooking Machine Operator and Tender will also include:

  • Tend or operate and control equipment, such as kettles, cookers, vats and tanks, and boilers, to cook ingredients or prepare products for further processing.
  • Set temperature, pressure, and time controls, and start conveyers, machines, or pumps.
  • Collect and examine product samples during production to test them for quality, color, content, consistency, viscosity, acidity, or specific gravity.
  • Notify or signal other workers to operate equipment or when processing is complete.
  • Observe gauges, dials, and product characteristics, and adjust controls to maintain appropriate temperature, pressure, and flow of ingredients.

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Food Cooking Machine Operators also operate auxiliary machines and equipment, such as grinders, canners, and molding presses, to prepare or further process products. They may also listen for malfunction alarms, and shut down equipment, and notify supervisors when necessary.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Food Cooking Machine Operators clean, wash, and sterilize equipment and cooking area, using water hoses, cleaning or sterilizing solutions, or rinses. They might also pour, dump, or load prescribed quantities of ingredients or products into cooking equipment, manually or using a hoist.

In addition, they activate agitators and paddles to mix or stir ingredients, stopping machines when ingredients are thoroughly mixed.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them turn valves or start pumps to add ingredients or drain products from equipment and to transfer products for storage, cooling, or further processing.

To some Food Cooking Machine Operators, it is also their responsibility to set temperature, pressure, and time controls, and start conveyers, machines, or pumps.

What is the job like

Job satisfaction

Low

Is this job meaningful

Low

61% said they were satisfied with their job and 46% said they found their job meaningful.


Pros

Suitable for people who like practical and hands-on work.

Suitable for people who want 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 work with designs.

One of the lowest paying jobs.

Demand for this career is not growing.

How much do they make

Average salary

$34180 per year

Average hourly wage

$16 per hour

Entry-level Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $23,070 to $27,080 per year or $11 to $13 per hour.

Salary by experience Annual Hourly
Highest (Top 10%) $48,330 $23
Senior (Top 25%) $39,670 $19
Median $33,010 $16
Junior (Bottom 25%) $27,080 $13
No experience (Bottom 10%) $23,070 $11

This table shows the top 10 highest paying industries for Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders based on their average annual salary.

Salary by industry Annual Hourly
Grain and Oilseed Milling $47420 $22.80
Dairy Product Manufacturing $39180 $18.84
Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing $37480 $18.02
Rubber Product Manufacturing $35680 $17.16
Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing $35180 $16.91
Other Food Manufacturing $35040 $16.84
Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing $34640 $16.66
Animal Slaughtering and Processing $32680 $15.71
Employment Services $30620 $14.72
Food and Beverage Stores $29080 $13.98

View more salary by industries here.

Where can they work

Where can Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders work? Here is a table showing the top 10 largest employers of Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders including the average salary in that industry.

Employers Total Employed Annual Salary Hourly Wages
Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing 6060 $35180 $16.91
Animal Slaughtering and Processing 4530 $32680 $15.71
Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing 4030 $34640 $16.66
Other Food Manufacturing 3820 $35040 $16.84
Dairy Product Manufacturing 1660 $39180 $18.84
Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing 1550 $37480 $18.02
Food and Beverage Stores 1230 $29080 $13.98
Restaurants and Other Eating Places 1180 $29030 $13.96
Employment Services 710 $30620 $14.72
Grain and Oilseed Milling 200 $47420 $22.80

What is the work day like

Working hours

Less than 40 hours
0%

40 hours
72%

More than 40 hours
28%

Working schedule

74%

19%

6%

Email

How often do you use email in this job?

Once a week
0%

Every day
3%

Telephone

How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

Once a week
12%

Every day
32%

Group discussions

How often do you have group discussions in this job?

Once a week
13%

Every day
67%

Public speaking

How often does this job require you to do public speaking?

Never
82%

Once a year
5%

Once a month
10%

Once a week
3%

Every day
0%

Level of competition

How much competitive pressure is in this job?

Not competitive at all
32%

Slightly competitive
17%

Moderately competitive
2%

Highly competitive
41%

Extremely competitive
8%

What is the work environment like

Office-style environment

Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition

Never
15%

Once a year or more
0%

Once a month or more
5%

Once a week or more
7%

Every day
72%

Warehouse-style environment

Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse

Never
58%

Once a year or more
14%

Once a month or more
2%

Once a week or more
7%

Every day
19%

Outdoors

Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions

Never
79%

Once a year or more
5%

Once a month or more
2%

Once a week or more
7%

Every day
7%

Outdoors – Under Cover

Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)

Never
98%

Once a year or more
2%

Once a month or more
0%

Once a week or more
0%

Every day
0%

How to become one

Difficulty to become one

Easy
You may need some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience. Most careers in this difficulty category usually don’t require a degree. However, you will need a few months of on-the-job training with experienced employees. Similar careers include Customer Service Representatives, Security Guards, and Bank Tellers.

Required level of education

What level of education do you need to perform the job?

Less than a High School Diploma
22%

High School Diploma or equivalent
51%

Post-Secondary Certificate
7%

Some College Courses
20%

Associate’s Degree or similar
0%

Bachelor’s Degree
0%

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate
0%

Master’s Degree
0%

Post-Master’s Certificate
0%

First Professional Degree
0%

Doctoral Degree
0%

Post-Doctoral Training
0%

Relevant majors

No majors found

Relevant work experience

How much related work experience do you need to get hired for the job?

None
11%

1 month
20%

1 to 3 months
0%

3 to 6 months
32%

6 months to 1 year
33%

1 to 2 years
4%

2 to 4 years
0%

4 to 6 years
0%

6 to 8 years
0%

8 to 10 years
0%

Over 10 years
0%

On The Job Training

How much on the job training do you need to perform the job?

None or short demonstration
4%

1 month
19%

1 to 3 months
16%

3 to 6 months
20%

6 months to 1 year
39%

1 to 2 years
2%

2 to 4 years
0%

4 to 10 years
0%

Over 10 years
0%

Should you become one

Best personality type for this career

The Builder

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.

The Builder
100%

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.


The Thinker
48%

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.


The Artist
14%

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.


The Helper
19%

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.


The Leader
38%

People with The Leader personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.


The Organizer
76%

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 tend 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?

Achievement
38%

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.

Working Conditions
33%

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.

Recognition
29%

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.

Relationships
48%

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.

Support
67%

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.

Independence
43%

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.

FAQ


Don’t know which career to pursue?

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