Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle 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 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.
Yearly Salary
| High: | $60K |
| Median: | $40K |
| Low: | $27K |
Demand
Core Tasks
- 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.
- Stop equipment and clear blockages or jams, using fingers, wire, or hand tools.
- Examine or test samples of processed substances, or collect samples for laboratory testing, to ensure conformance to specifications.
- Load equipment receptacles or conveyors with material to be processed, by hand or using hoists.
- Remove products from equipment, manually or using hoists, and prepare them for storage, shipment, or additional processing.
- Calculate amounts of materials to be loaded into furnaces, adjusting amounts as necessary for specific conditions.
- Transport materials and products to and from work areas, manually or using carts, handtrucks, or hoists.
- Melt or refine metal before casting, calculating required temperatures, and observe metal color, adjusting controls as necessary to maintain required temperatures.
- Weigh or measure specified amounts of ingredients or materials for processing, using devices such as scales and calipers.
- Direct crane operators and crew members to load vessels with materials to be processed.
- Feed fuel, such as coal and coke, into fireboxes or onto conveyors, and remove ashes from furnaces, using shovels and buckets.
- Replace worn or defective equipment parts, using hand tools.
- Clean, lubricate, and adjust equipment, using scrapers, solvents, air hoses, oil, and hand tools.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Mechanical
71%
Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Production and Processing
65%
Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Public Safety and Security
63%
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.
Computers and Electronics
60%
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
English Language
57%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
Education and Training
56%
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Mathematics
54%
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Administration and Management
53%
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Customer and Personal Service
52%
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.
Chemistry
49%
Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
Top 10 Skills
Operations Monitoring
78%
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
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.
Monitoring
63%
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Operation and Control
63%
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Reading Comprehension
63%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Speaking
63%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Quality Control Analysis
60%
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Writing
53%
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Coordination
50%
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Top 10 Abilities
Problem Sensitivity
73%
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.
Control Precision
70%
The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
Oral Comprehension
68%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Written Comprehension
68%
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Arm-Hand Steadiness
65%
The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
Near Vision
65%
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Speech Recognition
65%
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
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 Expression
63%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Reaction Time
63%
The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
Top 10 Work Activities
Controlling Machines and Processes
87%
Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
86%
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
86%
Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
Handling and Moving Objects
84%
Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
84%
Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Getting Information
83%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
82%
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
82%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People
79%
Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
Performing General Physical Activities
78%
Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
Detailed Work Activities
- Monitor equipment operation to ensure proper functioning.
- Confer with others to resolve production problems or equipment malfunctions.
- Adjust temperature controls of ovens or other heating equipment.
- Record operational or production data.
- Read work orders or other instructions to determine product specifications or materials requirements.
- Review blueprints or other instructions to determine operational methods or sequences.
- Test chemical or physical characteristics of materials or products.
- Move products, materials, or equipment between work areas.
- Clear equipment jams.
- Load materials into production equipment.
- Remove products or workpieces from production equipment.
- Calculate specific material, equipment, or labor requirements for production.
- Melt metal, plastic, or other materials to prepare for production.
- Measure ingredients or substances to be used in production processes.
- Direct operational or production activities.
- Replace worn equipment components.
- Clean production equipment.
- Maintain production or processing equipment.
- Lubricate production equipment.
Education
Interests
Realistic
99%
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
65%
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.
Investigative
31%
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.
Enterprising
18%
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.
Social
18%
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
15%
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
91%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Independence
58%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Relationships
53%
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
46%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Achievement
34%
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
34%
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.