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Food Cooking Machine Operator or Tender

What Does it Take to Be a Food Cooking Machine Operator or Tender?

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

Life As a Cooking Machine Operator

  • Turn valves or start pumps to add ingredients or drain products from equipment and to transfer products for storage, cooling, or further processing.
  • Notify or signal other workers to operate equipment or when processing is complete.
  • Tend or operate and control equipment, such as kettles, cookers, vats and tanks, and boilers, to cook ingredients or prepare products for further processing.
  • Operate auxiliary machines and equipment, such as grinders, canners, and molding presses, to prepare or further process products.
  • Listen for malfunction alarms, and shut down equipment and notify supervisors when necessary.
  • Measure or weigh ingredients, using scales or measuring containers.

Qualities of a Cooking Machine Operator

Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.

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.

Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Types of Cooking Machine Operator Jobs

  • Master Cook
  • Thermoscrew Operator
  • Brine Maker
  • Doughnut Fryer
  • Process Technician

Is There Job Demand 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.

Salary for a Cooking Machine Operator

The average yearly salary of a Cooking Machine Operator ranges between $21,230 and $45,400.

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

Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders 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?

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders may use on a daily basis:

  • Database software

Becoming a Cooking Machine Operator

What education is 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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Other Jobs You May be Interested In

Are you already one of the many Food Cooking Machine Operator or Tender in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:

References:

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