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Food Cooking Machine Operator or Tender

What Do Food Cooking Machine Operator or Tender Do?

Occupation Description Operate or tend cooking equipment, such as steam cooking vats, deep fry cookers, pressure cookers, kettles, and boilers, to prepare food products.

Cooking Machine Operator Responsibilities

  • Record production and test data, such as processing steps, temperature and steam readings, cooking time, batches processed, and test results.
  • Measure or weigh ingredients, using scales or measuring containers.
  • Observe gauges, dials, and product characteristics, and adjust controls to maintain appropriate temperature, pressure, and flow of ingredients.
  • Pour, dump, or load prescribed quantities of ingredients or products into cooking equipment, manually or using a hoist.
  • Operate auxiliary machines and equipment, such as grinders, canners, and molding presses, to prepare or further process products.
  • Collect and examine product samples during production to test them for quality, color, content, consistency, viscosity, acidity, or specific gravity.

Things a Cooking Machine Operator Should Know How to Do

These are the skills Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders say are the most useful in their careers:

Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Active Listening: 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.

Other Cooking Machine Operator Job Titles

  • Steak Sauce Maker
  • Mexican Food Cook
  • Deep Fat Fry Cook
  • Doughnut Maker
  • Steam Box Tender

Job Outlook for Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders

There were about 37,200 jobs for Food Cooking Machine Operator or Tender in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 2.4% which is below the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 900 new jobs for Food Cooking Machine Operator or Tender by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 5,200 job openings in this field each year.

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The states with the most job growth for Cooking Machine Operator are Rhode Island, Utah, and Vermont. Watch out if you plan on working in North Dakota, New Mexico, or Missouri. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Average Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders Salary

Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders make between $21,230 and $45,400 a year.

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Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders who work in Michigan, Oregon, or Nebraska, make the highest salaries.

How much do Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders make in different U.S. states?

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $26,750
Arkansas $34,190
California $30,120
Colorado $31,110
Connecticut $30,980
Florida $25,990
Georgia $26,410
Hawaii $37,710
Idaho $36,410
Illinois $31,740
Indiana $30,310
Iowa $34,940
Kansas $35,780
Kentucky $34,180
Louisiana $32,200
Maine $29,980
Maryland $28,800
Massachusetts $35,950
Michigan $38,600
Minnesota $34,730
Mississippi $27,440
Missouri $28,840
Nebraska $41,260
Nevada $29,850
New Hampshire $27,680
New Jersey $31,420
New Mexico $24,740
New York $33,290
North Carolina $30,690
North Dakota $33,330
Ohio $35,260
Oklahoma $30,030
Oregon $35,760
Pennsylvania $34,540
South Carolina $32,110
South Dakota $30,150
Tennessee $30,640
Texas $28,130
Utah $35,430
Virginia $32,210
Washington $34,940
Wisconsin $35,410

What Tools & Technology do Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders Use?

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders:

  • Database software

How do I Become a Cooking Machine Operator?

Education needed to be a Food Cooking Machine Operator or Tender:

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How many years of work experience do I need?

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Where Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders Work

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The table below shows the approximate number of Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders employed by various industries.

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Similar Careers

Career changers with experience as a Food Cooking Machine Operator or Tender sometimes find work in one of the following fields:

References:

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More about our data sources and methodologies.

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