Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
Set up, operate, or tend heating equipment, such as heat-treating furnaces, flame-hardening machines, induction machines, soaking pits, or vacuum equipment to temper, harden, anneal, or heat treat metal or plastic objects.
Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic set up, operate, or tend heating equipment, such as heat-treating furnaces, flame-hardening machines, induction machines, soaking pits, or vacuum equipment to temper, harden, anneal, or heat treat metal or plastic objects. The role reports a median annual salary of $47,450 in the US and is projected to decline by 13% over the next decade. Entry typically requires a High school diploma or equivalent, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.55 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Monitoring, Quality Control Analysis, Active Listening.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £32,871 a year for Metal making and treating process operatives (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 8115). ONS rates this estimate reasonably 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)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Plant and machine operators and assemblers” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 8. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Production and Processing
- Mathematics
- Education and Training
- Administration and Management
- Chemistry
- Mechanical
- Customer and Personal Service
- Engineering and Technology
What you'd actually do
- Read production schedules and work orders to determine processing sequences, furnace temperatures, and heat cycle requirements for objects to be heat-treated.
- Record times that parts are removed from furnaces to document that objects have attained specified temperatures for specified times.
- Adjust controls to maintain temperatures and heating times, using thermal instruments and charts, dials and gauges of furnaces, and color of stock in furnaces to make setting determinations.
- Start conveyors and open furnace doors to load stock, or signal crane operators to uncover soaking pits and lower ingots into them.
- Set up and operate or tend machines, such as furnaces, baths, flame-hardening machines, and electronic induction machines, that harden, anneal, and heat-treat metal.
- Remove parts from furnaces after specified times, and air dry or cool parts in water, oil brine, or other baths.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic do?
Set up, operate, or tend heating equipment, such as heat-treating furnaces, flame-hardening machines, induction machines, soaking pits, or vacuum equipment to temper, harden, anneal, or heat treat metal or plastic objects.
How much does Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic earn?
The median annual salary for Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in the US is $47,450.
What is the job outlook for Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic?
The role is projected to decline by 13% over the next decade. Current US employment is approximately 14,800 workers.
How do I become heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic?
The typical entry education is a High school diploma or equivalent. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Monitoring, Quality Control Analysis, Active Listening, Speaking. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic?
Our AI-durability model gives Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic a score of 0.55 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?
Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic has low barrier to entry — generally accessible — you can enter with basic credentials and on-the-job learning.