Skilled Trades
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.
Median salary
$47,010
Typical range
$35k – $66k
Job outlook
+3% (about average)
AI exposure
Plan a path to Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders
Education
Typical entry: No degree required
Plan my path to this →Typical progression
Junior Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders
Entry / Junior
$35,010
~2 yrs to advance
Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders
Established
$47,010
~3 yrs to advance
Senior Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders
Senior
$56,600
Key skills
A typical 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.
- •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.
Fields of study
Any field
Top colleges for Skilled Trades
Explore all- Purdue University50% admit · $78,000 grad pay
- Ohio State University53% admit · $68,000 grad pay
- Pennsylvania State University55% admit · $70,000 grad pay
Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.