Production
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 pay
$48,040
Growth to 2035
+3%
about as fast as average
Openings a year
1,800
Time to qualify*
6 months
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
Calculate your switch to furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
Exposure to disease
Furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders: 34% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- 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.
- Transport materials and products to and from work areas, manually or using carts, handtrucks, or hoists.
Also called: Annealing Operator · Dry Kiln Operator · Dryer Feeder · Evaporator Operator · Furnace Operator · Kiln Fireman · Kiln Operator · Lime Kiln and Recausticizing Operator
Outlook and AI
Furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders held 14,500 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 14,900 by 2035 (+3%, about as fast as average; all jobs: +3.5%).
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