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Life As a Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, or Kettle Operator or Tender
Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, or Kettle Operator Example 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.
A Day in the Life of a Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, or Kettle Operator
- Press and adjust controls to activate, set, and regulate equipment according to specifications.
- Melt or refine metal before casting, calculating required temperatures, and observe metal color, adjusting controls as necessary to maintain required temperatures.
- Read and interpret work orders and instructions to determine work assignments, process specifications, and production schedules.
- Replace worn or defective equipment parts, using hand tools.
- Examine or test samples of processed substances, or collect samples for laboratory testing, to ensure conformance to specifications.
- Calculate amounts of materials to be loaded into furnaces, adjusting amounts as necessary for specific conditions.
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What Every Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, or Kettle Operator Should Know
When polled, Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
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.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Types of Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, or Kettle Operator Jobs
- Cupola Man
- Core Oven Tender
- Oven Operator
- Drier Tender
- Kiln Charger
Job Demand for Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders
In the United States, there were 21,900 jobs for Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, or Kettle Operator or Tender in 2016. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, or Kettle Operator or Tender. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 2,000 job openings in this field each year.
The states with the most job growth for Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, or Kettle Operator are Utah, Florida, and Nevada. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Montana, or Ohio. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Salary for a Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, or Kettle Operator
Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders make between $25,950 and $58,890 a year.
Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders who work in West Virginia, Maryland, or Michigan, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $47,750 |
| Arizona | $35,210 |
| Arkansas | $42,290 |
| California | $39,730 |
| Colorado | $40,110 |
| Connecticut | $36,050 |
| Florida | $30,400 |
| Georgia | $39,740 |
| Idaho | $41,550 |
| Illinois | $38,880 |
| Indiana | $42,700 |
| Iowa | $41,550 |
| Kansas | $40,450 |
| Kentucky | $39,840 |
| Louisiana | $39,790 |
| Maine | $43,640 |
| Maryland | $48,310 |
| Massachusetts | $44,430 |
| Michigan | $45,960 |
| Minnesota | $43,590 |
| Mississippi | $34,500 |
| Missouri | $38,840 |
| Montana | $40,590 |
| Nebraska | $44,650 |
| Nevada | $46,020 |
| New Hampshire | $42,200 |
| New Jersey | $41,570 |
| New York | $43,210 |
| North Carolina | $40,350 |
| Ohio | $36,060 |
| Oklahoma | $39,520 |
| Oregon | $41,730 |
| Pennsylvania | $41,890 |
| South Carolina | $39,200 |
| South Dakota | $35,990 |
| Tennessee | $38,800 |
| Texas | $40,360 |
| Utah | $49,360 |
| Virginia | $36,640 |
| Washington | $43,210 |
| West Virginia | $45,470 |
| Wisconsin | $36,300 |
| Wyoming | $44,960 |
What Tools do Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Data entry software
- Inventory tracking software
- Machine operation software
Becoming a Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, or Kettle Operator
Education needed to be a Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, or Kettle Operator or Tender:
How many years of work experience do I need?
Where Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders Work
Below are examples of industries where Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders work:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.