Food Processing Equipment Workers

Summary

What Food Processing Equipment Workers Do About this section

A food batchmaker stirs curd to make cheese.

Food processing equipment workers operate machinery that mixes, cooks, or processes ingredients for manufacturing food products.

Duties

Food processing equipment workers typically do the following:

• Set up, start, or load food processing equipment
• Check, weigh, and mix ingredients according to recipes
• Set and control temperatures, flow rates, and pressures of machinery
• Monitor and adjust ingredient mixes during production processes
• Observe and regulate equipment gauges and controls
• Record batch production data
• Clean workspaces and equipment according to health and safety standards
• Check final products to ensure quality

Food processing equipment workers often have different duties depending on the type of machinery they use or the goods they process. Job titles may be specific to the type of food workers produce.

Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders run equipment that uses dry heat to make food or tobacco products. For example, coffee roasters follow recipes and tend machines to produce standard or specialty coffees; dryers of fruits and vegetables operate machines that produce raisins, prunes, and other dehydrated foods.

Food batchmakers operate equipment that mixes or blends ingredients to produce shelf-stable, refrigerated, or frozen foods. For example, cheese makers load raw ingredients into machinery, monitoring the temperature and consistency throughout the production process; candy makers may operate machinery to shape, stretch, or mold lollipops, gumdrops, and other sweets.

Food cooking machine operators and tenders oversee equipment that makes steamed, fried, boiled, or related food products. For example, dumpling machine operators set up and monitor commercial steamers and potato chip manufacturing workers may operate frying equipment.

Other food processing equipment workers operate machines that mix spices, mill grains, or extract oil from seeds.

Work Environment About this section

Food processing workers often work on a production line and stand most of the time.

Food and tobacco processing workers held about 288,400 jobs in 2023. Employment in the detailed occupations that make up food and tobacco processing workers was distributed as follows:

The largest employers of food and tobacco processing workers were as follows:

Food manufacturing facilities are typically large, open-floor areas with loud machinery. When operating cooking equipment, workers are frequently exposed to high temperatures. When working with goods that need to be refrigerated or frozen, they may be exposed to cold temperatures for long periods.

Depending on the type of food being processed, workers may be required to wear ear protection to guard against hearing loss in noisy facilities. They also may wear masks, hairnets, or gloves to prevent product contamination.

Workers usually stand during their shifts while tending machines or observing the production process. Loading, unloading, or cleaning equipment may require lifting, bending, and reaching.

Work Schedules

Most food processing equipment workers are employed full time; part-time work may be common for food cooking machine operators and tenders. Because of production schedules, shift work is common and may include early mornings, evenings, or nights.

Some food processing positions are seasonal.

How to Become a Food Processing Equipment Worker About this section

Experienced workers show trainees how to properly use equipment.

Education requirements vary for food processing equipment workers. Some typically need no formal education credential; however, others typically need a high school diploma or equivalent. Food processing equipment workers usually learn their skills through on-the-job training.

Education

Employers may require or prefer that applicants to food processing equipment jobs have a high school diploma or equivalent.

Because these workers often adjust the quantity of ingredients that go into a mix, math and reading skills are helpful.

Training

Food processing equipment workers learn on the job. Training may last from a few weeks to a few months. During training, workers learn health and safety rules related to the type of food that they process, as well as how to operate specific equipment and detect malfunctions.

Experienced workers typically teach trainees how to properly use and care for equipment.

Important Qualities

Detail oriented. Workers must be able to detect small changes in the quality or quantity of food products. They must also follow health and safety standards to avoid injury and prevent food contamination.

Physical stamina. Workers stand for long periods as they tend machines and monitor the production process.

Physical strength. Food processing equipment workers must be able to lift or move heavy boxes of ingredients, which may weigh up to 50 pounds.

Math skills. Workers may need math skills in order to accurately mix specific quantities of ingredients.

Pay About this section

The median annual wage for food processing equipment workers was $38,130 in May 2023. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $29,370, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $53,440.

Median annual wages for food processing equipment workers in May 2023 were as follows:

In May 2023, the median annual wages for food and tobacco processing workers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Most food processing equipment workers are employed full time; part-time work may be common for food cooking machine operators and tenders. Because of production schedules, shift work is common and may include early mornings, evenings, or nights.

Some food processing positions are seasonal.

Job Outlook About this section

Overall employment of food processing equipment workers is projected to grow 7 percent from 2023 to 2033, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 40,000 openings for food processing equipment workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

Projected employment of food processing equipment workers varies by occupation (see table). Population growth and continuing consumer preference for convenience foods are expected to drive the demand for food, which will in turn require more food processing workers to produce it. Some food manufacturing companies use equipment that automatically weighs and mixes ingredients, which requires fewer workers to operate machines.

State & Area Data About this section

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)

The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OEWS data maps for employment and wages by state and area.

• Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders
• Food batchmakers
• Food cooking machine operators and tenders
• Food processing workers, all other

Projections Central

Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.org. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved.

CareerOneStop

CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.

Contacts for More Information About this section

For more information about food processing equipment workers, visit

Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco Workers, and Grain Millers International (BCTGM)

International Brotherhood of Teamsters

The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union

O*NET

Food Batchmakers

Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders

Food Processing Workers, All Other

Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders