Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders

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.

What you'd actually do

• 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.
• Examine or test samples of processed substances, or collect samples for laboratory testing, to ensure conformance to specifications.

How you get there

Typical entry-level education: High school diploma. Overall preparation: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

The feel of the work

Much of the day is spent working solo. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 1.5% of furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders are self-employed.

Who it tends to fit

This work tends to fit people who are hands-on and organized and detail-focused.

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Quick questions

How much does a furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tender make?

The median pay is $23.10 per hour — roughly $48,000 a year, with the real range running from about $17.29/hr (10th percentile) to $33.56/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tender?

The typical entry-level education is: High school diploma. Overall preparation level: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

What does a furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tender actually do all day?

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.