Food Processing Equipment Workers

Food processing equipment workers operate machinery that mixes, cooks, or processes ingredients for manufacturing food products.

Duties

Food processing equipment workers typically do the following:

• Set up, start, or load food processing equipment
• Check, weigh, and mix ingredients according to recipes
• Set and control temperatures, flow rates, and pressures of machinery
• Monitor and adjust ingredient mixes during production processes
• Observe and regulate equipment gauges and controls
• Record batch production data
• Clean workspaces and equipment according to health and safety standards
• Check final products to ensure quality

Food processing equipment workers often have different duties depending on the type of machinery they use or the goods they process. Job titles may be specific to the type of food workers produce.

Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders run equipment that uses dry heat to make food or tobacco products. For example, coffee roasters follow recipes and tend machines to produce standard or specialty coffees; dryers of fruits and vegetables operate machines that produce raisins, prunes, and other dehydrated foods.

Food batchmakers operate equipment that mixes or blends ingredients to produce shelf-stable, refrigerated, or frozen foods. For example, cheese makers load raw ingredients into machinery, monitoring the temperature and consistency throughout the production process; candy makers may operate machinery to shape, stretch, or mold lollipops, gumdrops, and other sweets.

Food cooking machine operators and tenders oversee equipment that makes steamed, fried, boiled, or related food products. For example, dumpling machine operators set up and monitor commercial steamers and potato chip manufacturing workers may operate frying equipment.

Other food processing equipment workers operate machines that mix spices, mill grains, or extract oil from seeds.

Food processing equipment workers held about 282,600 jobs in 2024. Employment in the detailed occupations that make up food processing equipment workers was distributed as follows:

The largest employers of food processing equipment workers were as follows:

Food manufacturing facilities are typically large, open-floor areas with loud machinery. When operating cooking equipment, workers are frequently exposed to high temperatures. When working with goods that need to be refrigerated or frozen, they may be exposed to cold temperatures for long periods.

Depending on the type of food being processed, workers may be required to wear ear protection to guard against hearing loss in noisy facilities. They also may wear masks, hairnets, or gloves to prevent product contamination.

Workers usually stand during their shifts while tending machines or observing the production process. Loading, unloading, or cleaning equipment may require lifting, bending, and reaching.

Work Schedules

Most food processing equipment workers are employed full time; part-time work may be common for food cooking machine operators and tenders. Because of production schedules, shift work is common and may include early mornings, evenings, or nights.

Some food processing positions are seasonal.

Education requirements vary for food processing equipment workers. Some typically need no formal education credential; however, others typically need a high school diploma or equivalent.

The median annual wage for food processing equipment workers was $40,050 in May 2024.

Overall employment of food processing equipment workers is projected to grow 5 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 37,500 openings for food processing equipment workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.