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Metal-Refining Furnace Operator or Tender

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All About Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders

Job Description: Operate or tend furnaces, such as gas, oil, coal, electric-arc or electric induction, open-hearth, or oxygen furnaces, to melt and refine metal before casting or to produce specified types of steel.

Life As a Metal-Refining Furnace Operator or Tender: What Do They Do?

  • Scrape accumulations of metal oxides from floors, molds, and crucibles, and sift and store them for reclamation.
  • Draw smelted metal samples from furnaces or kettles for analysis, and calculate types and amounts of materials needed to ensure that materials meet specifications.
  • Observe operations inside furnaces, using television screens, to ensure that problems do not occur.
  • Operate controls to move or discharge metal workpieces from furnaces.
  • Weigh materials to be charged into furnaces, using scales.
  • Observe air and temperature gauges or metal color and fluidity, and turn fuel valves or adjust controls to maintain required temperatures.

What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Metal-Refining Furnace Operator or Tender?

These are the skills Metal-Refining Furnace 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.

Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

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.

Other Metal-Refining Furnace Operator or Tender Job Titles

  • Metal Roaster
  • Hot Iron Worker
  • Converter
  • Furnace Firer
  • Puller Out

What Kind of Metal-Refining Furnace Operator or Tender Job Opportunities Are There?

There were about 17,700 jobs for Metal-Refining Furnace Operator or Tender in 2016 (in the United States). There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Metal-Refining Furnace Operator or Tender. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 1,500 job openings in this field each year.

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The states with the most job growth for Metal-Refining Furnace Operator or Tender are Florida, Nevada, and Arkansas. Watch out if you plan on working in Idaho, Utah, or North Carolina. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

What is the Average Salary of a Metal-Refining Furnace Operator or Tender

The salary for Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders ranges between about $25,240 and $60,820 a year.

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Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders who work in Oregon, Utah, or Nevada, make the highest salaries.

Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders in different U.S. states.

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $37,070
Arizona $48,320
Arkansas $40,340
California $41,250
Colorado $42,300
Connecticut $42,460
Florida $37,470
Georgia $30,240
Illinois $46,100
Indiana $41,230
Iowa $43,340
Kentucky $44,100
Louisiana $44,960
Massachusetts $50,210
Michigan $39,420
Minnesota $43,740
Mississippi $38,700
Missouri $44,240
Nebraska $34,690
Nevada $50,670
New Hampshire $42,770
New Jersey $47,870
New Mexico $34,440
New York $45,410
North Carolina $51,670
Ohio $37,780
Oklahoma $41,740
Oregon $56,170
Pennsylvania $46,440
Rhode Island $39,130
South Carolina $41,450
Tennessee $40,380
Texas $39,910
Utah $54,190
Virginia $50,720
Washington $44,230
West Virginia $24,390
Wisconsin $38,710

What Tools do Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders Use?

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office

How to Become a Metal-Refining Furnace Operator or Tender

Individuals working as a Metal-Refining Furnace Operator or Tender have obtained the following education levels:

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How Long Does it Take to Become a Metal-Refining Furnace Operator or Tender?

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Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders Sector

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The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

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References:

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More about our data sources and methodologies.

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