Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders
Overview
SaveJob Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
Experience
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Education
These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Job Training
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Examples
These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include orderlies, counter and rental clerks, customer service representatives, security guards, upholsterers, tellers, and dental laboratory technicians.
Operate or tend food or tobacco roasting, baking, or drying equipment, including hearth ovens, kiln driers, roasters, char kilns, and vacuum drying equipment.
Yearly Salary
| High: | $52K |
| Median: | $32K |
| Low: | $22K |
Demand
Core Tasks
- 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.
- Take product samples during or after processing for laboratory analyses.
- Observe flow of materials and listen for machine malfunctions, such as jamming or spillage, and notify supervisors if corrective actions fail.
- Observe temperature, humidity, pressure gauges, and product samples and adjust controls, such as thermostats and valves, to maintain prescribed operating conditions for specific stages.
- Record production data, such as weight and amount of product processed, type of product, and time and temperature of processing.
- Test products for moisture content, using moisture meters.
- Weigh or measure products, using scale hoppers or scale conveyors.
- Clear or dislodge blockages in bins, screens, or other equipment, using poles, brushes, or mallets.
- 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.
- Start conveyors to move roasted grain to cooling pans and agitate grain with rakes as blowers force air through perforated bottoms of pans.
- Open valves, gates, or chutes or use shovels to load or remove products from ovens or other equipment.
- Read work orders to determine quantities and types of products to be baked, dried, or roasted.
- Clean equipment with steam, hot water, and hoses.
- Smooth out products in bins, pans, trays, or conveyors, using rakes or shovels.
- Fill or remove product from trays, carts, hoppers, or equipment, using scoops, peels, or shovels, or by hand.
- Install equipment, such as spray units, cutting blades, or screens, using hand tools.
- Push racks or carts to transfer products to storage, cooling stations, or the next stage of processing.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Production and Processing
72%
Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
English Language
66%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
Food Production
61%
Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
Public Safety and Security
61%
Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Education and Training
46%
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Mathematics
46%
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Mechanical
45%
Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Customer and Personal Service
42%
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Law and Government
40%
Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Engineering and Technology
38%
Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Top 10 Skills
Operations Monitoring
73%
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Monitoring
70%
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active Listening
63%
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.
Critical Thinking
63%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Operation and Control
63%
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Quality Control Analysis
63%
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Reading Comprehension
63%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Complex Problem Solving
60%
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Coordination
60%
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Judgment and Decision Making
60%
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Top 10 Abilities
Near Vision
75%
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Problem Sensitivity
65%
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
Arm-Hand Steadiness
63%
The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
Category Flexibility
63%
The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Control Precision
63%
The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
Information Ordering
63%
The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Oral Comprehension
63%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Perceptual Speed
63%
The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
Selective Attention
63%
The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Speech Recognition
63%
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Top 10 Work Activities
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
83%
Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Getting Information
81%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
80%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
79%
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Controlling Machines and Processes
79%
Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
77%
Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
75%
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Analyzing Data or Information
72%
Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
72%
Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
Training and Teaching Others
72%
Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
Detailed Work Activities
- Inspect food products.
- Evaluate quality of food ingredients or prepared foods.
- Adjust temperature controls of ovens or other heating equipment.
- Operate pumping systems or equipment.
- Monitor instruments to ensure proper production conditions.
- Watch operating equipment to detect malfunctions.
- Notify others of equipment repair or maintenance needs.
- Record operational or production data.
- Weigh finished products.
- Measure dimensions of completed products or workpieces to verify conformance to specifications.
- Operate cooking, baking, or other food preparation equipment.
- Signal others to coordinate work activities.
- Read work orders or other instructions to determine product specifications or materials requirements.
- Remove products or workpieces from production equipment.
- Collect samples of materials or products for testing.
- Clear equipment jams.
- Feed materials or products into or through equipment.
- Adjust equipment controls to regulate flow of production materials or products.
- Sterilize food cooking or processing equipment.
- Position raw materials on processing or production equipment.
- Mount attachments or tools onto production equipment.
- Move products, materials, or equipment between work areas.
Education
Interests
Realistic
98%
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
Conventional
60%
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.
Enterprising
26%
Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.
Investigative
23%
Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.
Social
19%
Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
Artistic
16%
Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.
Work Values
Support
67%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Relationships
48%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Working Conditions
36%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Independence
34%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Achievement
29%
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Recognition
29%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.