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

Operate or tend food or tobacco roasting, baking, or drying equipment, including hearth ovens, kiln driers, roasters, char kilns, and vacuum drying equipment.

Also called: Bean Roaster, Coffee Roaster, Line Operator, Machine Operator, Oven Operator, Oven Technician, Roast Master, Roaster, Roaster Operator, Roasterman, Automatic Oven Operator, Bakery Production Associate, Bakery Production Worker, Bakery Worker, Baking Assistant, Belt Conveyor Drier, Bone Char Kiln Operator, Bun Panner, Buttermilk Drier Operator, Chocolate Temperer, Cocoa Bean Roaster, Cocoa Roaster, Continuous Process Coffee Roaster, Corn Popper, Curing Bin Operator, Curing Room Worker, Dehydrator Operator, Dehydrator Tender, Drier, Drier Attendant, Drier Operator, Drier Tender, Drum Drier, Drum Drier Operator, Dryer Operator, Drying Machine Operator, Enrober, Enrober Operator, Fish Salter, Fish Smoker, Flaker Operator, Food Dehydrator Operator, Food Production Worker, Fruit Dryer, Furnace Operator, Grain Drier, Grain Drier Operator, Grain Roaster, Grain Wafer Machine Operator, Granulator Operator, Gunner, Ham Curer, Ham Smoker, Icing Machine Operator, Instantizer Operator, Kiln Firer, Linter Drier Operator, Long Goods Drier, Machine Pie Maker, Malt House Kiln Operator, Malt Roaster, Manufacturing Operator, Meat Curer, Meat Smoker, Meringuer, Milk Drier, Milk Drying Machine Operator, Nut Roaster, Oven Tender, Oven Worker, Peanut Roaster, Peelman, Pizza Cook, Pizza Maker, Plant Utility Person, Popcorn Popper, Pretzel Cooker, Processing Operator, Production Roaster, Pulp Drier Firer, Reclaim Operator, Redrying Machine Operator, Rice Drier, Rice Drier Operator, Roastmaster, Sausage Smoker, Smokehouse Operator, Smokehouse Worker, Smoker, Smoker Operator, Steam Oven Operator, Sugar Drier, Tobacco Curer, Tobacco Drier Operator, Vacuum Drier Operator, Wafer Machine Operator, Wine Pasteurizer

This is a career information profile, not an advertised job opening.

What the worker does

Observe, feel, taste, or otherwise examine products during and after processing to ensure conformance to standards.
Set temperature and time controls, light ovens, burners, driers, or roasters, and start equipment, such as conveyors, cylinders, blowers, driers, or pumps.
Observe temperature, humidity, pressure gauges, and product samples and adjust controls, such as thermostats and valves, to maintain prescribed operating conditions for specific stages.
Observe flow of materials and listen for machine malfunctions, such as jamming or spillage, and notify supervisors if corrective actions fail.
Record production data, such as weight and amount of product processed, type of product, and time and temperature of processing.
Weigh or measure products, using scale hoppers or scale conveyors.
Operate or tend equipment that roasts, bakes, dries, or cures food items such as cocoa and coffee beans, grains, nuts, and bakery products.
Signal coworkers to synchronize flow of materials.
Read work orders to determine quantities and types of products to be baked, dried, or roasted.
Fill or remove product from trays, carts, hoppers, or equipment, using scoops, peels, or shovels, or by hand.

Skills, machines and equipment

Operations Monitoring
Monitoring
Reading Comprehension
Active Listening
Critical Thinking
Operation and Control
Quality Control Analysis
Speaking
Social Perceptiveness
Coordination
Complex Problem Solving
Judgment and Decision Making

Education and training

Most frequently reported education in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (60.77% of responses). This is survey context, not a universal hiring requirement. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.

O*NET Job Zone 2: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. This is broad occupational preparation context; confirm the requirements for a specific employer or apprenticeship.

Apprenticeships

Ask an employer or registered apprenticeship sponsor about current programs, eligibility, training and pay. A career profile does not confirm that a program is available.

Salary reference

37,540–50,680 USD per year · United States · 2025. Source: BLS OEWS via O*NET · 25th–75th percentiles · SOC 51-3091.

Occupational-group wage references are not guaranteed pay for this specialty or an employer's offer.

Career advancement

Develop reliable production, safety, quality, and equipment skills; explore additional processes, senior specialist, or team-lead responsibilities relevant to your workplace.
Ask employers which demonstrated skills, education, or credentials are needed for the next role. Related careers are exploration options, not automatic promotions.

How Do I Get This Job?

Review the skills and responsibilities above.
Most frequently reported education in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (60.77% of responses). This is survey context, not a universal hiring requirement. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
O*NET Job Zone 2: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. This is broad occupational preparation context; confirm the requirements for a specific employer or apprenticeship.
Compare real openings and confirm requirements directly with the employer.

View available jobs — availability is not guaranteed; sample listings are not real openings.

Related career information

Sources and limitations

O*NET® 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, under CC BY 4.0. ShopFloor adapted occupational grouping, selected manufacturing-relevant occupations, and retained seven legacy guide titles. Specialties and alternative titles are grouped under O*NET occupations; these occupations can also occur outside manufacturing. Source: https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html. No wage, vacancy, certification, or video data is implied. ShopFloor advancement suggestions are general editorial guidance, not O*NET findings or guaranteed career progression. BLS wage ranges, when available, are national 25th–75th percentiles for the source occupational grouping, across industries; they are not local, apprentice, entry-level, or specialty-specific offers.

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