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Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders

$36.7K Median Salary 4.8K Job Openings (Annual Projection) 5.2% Job Growth

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About This Career

Operate or tend cooking equipment, such as steam cooking vats, deep fry cookers, pressure cookers, kettles, and boilers, to prepare food products.

Reported Job Titles

Cooker Operator, Food Production Worker, Fryer Operator, Kettle Fry Cook Operator, Machine Operator, Mogul Operator, Oven Operator, Peeler Operator, Retort Operator, Thermo Processor

Career data shown for:

Skills You'll Need

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Abilities

Problem Sensitivity

Oral Comprehension

Written Comprehension

Near Vision

Control Precision

Information Ordering

Selective Attention

Arm-Hand Steadiness

Finger Dexterity

Manual Dexterity

Reaction Time

Knowledge

Production and Processing

Food Production

Administration and Management

Education and Training

Mechanical

Skills

Operations Monitoring

Monitoring

Operation and Control

Reading Comprehension

Active Listening

Critical Thinking

Technology Skills

Data base user interface and query software

Tools

Cooking machinery

Steaming machinery

Smoking machinery

Forming machine

Roasting machinery

Filling machinery

Hoists

Bucket conveyors

Hand trucks or accessories

Sifting machinery

Conveyor feeders

Commercial use food grinders

Water hoses

Floor or platform scales

Abilities

Problem Sensitivity: The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
Oral Comprehension: The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Written Comprehension: The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Near Vision: The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Control Precision: The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
Information Ordering: The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Selective Attention: The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Arm-Hand Steadiness: The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
Finger Dexterity: The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
Manual Dexterity: The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Reaction Time: The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.

Knowledge

Production and Processing: Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Food Production: Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
Administration and Management: Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Education and Training: Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Mechanical: Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Skills

Operations Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Technology Skills

Data base user interface and query software: Blackboard software; Database software; Microsoft Access; Yardi software

Tools

Cooking machinery: Depanning machines; Egg breaking machines
Steaming machinery: Steam air retorts; Steam kettles; Steam retorts; Water spray retorts
Smoking machinery: Smokehouses
Forming machine: Sheeters
Roasting machinery: Roasting equipment
Filling machinery: Sausage linkers
Hoists: Hoisting equipment
Bucket conveyors: Bucket elevators
Hand trucks or accessories: Handcarts
Sifting machinery: Combination feeders
Conveyor feeders: Gravimetric feeders; Polymer feed systems
Commercial use food grinders: Meat grinders
Water hoses: Water jets
Floor or platform scales: Industrial floor scales