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.
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. The role reports a median annual salary of $42,730 in the US and is projected to grow 60% over the next decade (much faster than average). Entry typically requires a No formal educational credential, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.57 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include Operations Monitoring, Monitoring, Operation and Control, Critical Thinking, Active Listening.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £28,243 a year for Food, drink and tobacco process operatives (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
Middle half of full-time jobs: £24,471 to £33,889 a year
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 8111). ONS rates this estimate precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
No official India pay figure for this career: it falls in more than one occupation group, and the Government of India's labour survey (PLFS) publishes pay only by occupation group.
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Production and Processing
- English Language
- Public Safety and Security
- Food Production
- Mathematics
- Education and Training
- Mechanical
- Customer and Personal Service
What you'd actually do
- 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.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders do?
Operate or tend food or tobacco roasting, baking, or drying equipment, including hearth ovens, kiln driers, roasters, char kilns, and vacuum drying equipment.
How much does Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders earn?
The median annual salary for Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders in the US is $42,730.
What is the job outlook for Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders?
The role is projected to grow 60% over the next decade (much faster than average). Current US employment is approximately 20,700 workers.
How do I become food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders?
The typical entry education is a No formal educational credential. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Operations Monitoring, Monitoring, Operation and Control, Critical Thinking, Active Listening, Quality Control Analysis. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders?
Our AI-durability model gives Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders a score of 0.57 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders has low barrier to entry — generally accessible — you can enter with basic credentials and on-the-job learning.