Cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders
Operate or tend machines to wash or clean products, such as barrels or kegs, glass items, tin plate, food, pulp, coal, plastic, or rubber, to remove impurities.
Cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders operate or tend machines to wash or clean products, such as barrels or kegs, glass items, tin plate, food, pulp, coal, plastic, or rubber, to remove impurities. The role reports a median annual salary of $41,460 in the US and is projected to grow 4% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Entry typically requires a High school diploma or equivalent, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.54 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, Time Management, Active Listening.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £30,360 a year for Paper and wood machine operatives (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 8131). 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 Cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders, 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
- English Language
- Public Safety and Security
- Psychology
- Education and Training
- Chemistry
- Mechanical
- Administration and Management
What you'd actually do
- Add specified amounts of chemicals to equipment at required times to maintain solution levels and concentrations.
- Observe machine operations, gauges, or thermometers, and adjust controls to maintain specified conditions.
- Set controls to regulate temperature and length of cycles, and start conveyors, pumps, agitators, and machines.
- Drain, clean, and refill machines or tanks at designated intervals, using cleaning solutions or water.
- Operate or tend machines to wash and remove impurities from items such as barrels or kegs, glass products, tin plate surfaces, dried fruit, pulp, animal stock, coal, manufactured articles, plastic, or rubber.
- Record gauge readings, materials used, processing times, or test results in production logs.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders do?
Operate or tend machines to wash or clean products, such as barrels or kegs, glass items, tin plate, food, pulp, coal, plastic, or rubber, to remove impurities.
How much does Cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders earn?
The median annual salary for Cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders in the US is $41,460.
What is the job outlook for Cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders?
The role is projected to grow 4% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Current US employment is approximately 14,600 workers.
How do I become cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders?
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 Cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Monitoring, Time Management, Active Listening, Speaking. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders?
Our AI-durability model gives Cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders a score of 0.54 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?
Cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders has low barrier to entry — generally accessible — you can enter with basic credentials and on-the-job learning.