Food cooking machine operators and tenders
SOC Code: 51-3093Also known as:
Bakery Fryer, Blanching Machine Operator, Boiler, Brine Maker, Casing Cooker
Median Annual Salary
$40,550
+0.6% growth (2024-2034)
4K
Openings/Year
30K
Current Jobs
What Food cooking machine operators and tenders Do
Operate or tend cooking equipment, such as steam cooking vats, deep fry cookers, pressure cookers, kettles, and boilers, to prepare food products.
💰 Salary
$40,550
Median annual wage (2024)
📈 Job Growth
+0.6%
Little or no change
🎓 Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Typical entry-level requirement
🚀 Annual Openings
4K
Projected average per year
📚 On-the-Job Training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Expected training period
Employment Projections (2024-2034)
Current Employment (2024)
29,700
Projected Employment (2034)
29,900
Related Careers
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$40,790 •
+6.9% growth
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$41,460 •
+3.6% growth
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$40,160 •
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Top Skills Required
Operations Monitoring
Reading Comprehension
Monitoring
Operation and Control
Active Listening
Daily Tasks & Responsibilities
- Clean, wash, and sterilize equipment and cooking area, using water hoses, cleaning or sterilizing solutions, or rinses.
- Read work orders, recipes, or formulas to determine cooking times and temperatures, and ingredient specifications.
- Observe gauges, dials, and product characteristics, and adjust controls to maintain appropriate temperature, pressure, and flow of ingredients.
- Measure or weigh ingredients, using scales or measuring containers.
- Tend or operate and control equipment, such as kettles, cookers, vats and tanks, and boilers, to cook ingredients or prepare products for further processing.
- Record production and test data, such as processing steps, temperature and steam readings, cooking time, batches processed, and test results.
- Set temperature, pressure, and time controls, and start conveyers, machines, or pumps.
- Remove cooked material or products from equipment.
- Collect and examine product samples during production to test them for quality, color, content, consistency, viscosity, acidity, or specific gravity.
- Pour, dump, or load prescribed quantities of ingredients or products into cooking equipment, manually or using a hoist.
📚 Entry-Level Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Most common requirement
🎯 Recommended Education
High School Diploma
O*NET recommended level
College Rankings
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much do food cooking machine operators and tenders make?
The median annual salary for food cooking machine operators and tenders is $40,550.
What education do food cooking machine operators and tenders need?
Most food cooking machine operators and tenders positions require a high school diploma or equivalent.
Is becoming food cooking machine operators and tenders a good career choice?
Food cooking machine operators and tenders is projected to see +0.6% job growth from 2024 to 2034,
which is about average for all occupations. With approximately 4,400 job openings expected annually,
there are good opportunities for those entering the field.
What are the best colleges for food cooking machine operators and tenders?
The best colleges offer strong programs in related fields with experienced faculty and industry connections.
What other job titles are similar to food cooking machine operators and tenders?
Food cooking machine operators and tenders may also be known as: Bakery Fryer, Blanching Machine Operator, Boiler, Brine Maker, Casing Cooker, Chip Fryer, Chocolate Temperer, Coconut Boiler, Confectionery Cooker, Cook Box Filler, Cook-Box Filler, Cooker, Cooker Operator, Cooker Tender, Corn Cooker, Deep Fat Fry Cook, Dextrine Mixer, Dog and Cat Food Cook, Donut Fryer, Dough Maker.
These titles often refer to similar roles with varying responsibilities or specializations.