Top Skills for This Career
BLS identifies these as the three highest-rated skills for this detailed occupation. TrustInEd adds the plain-language explanations so visitors understand what each skill means.
Paying close attention to accuracy, quality, instructions, and small but important details.
Adjusting effectively when priorities, conditions, tools, or expectations change.
Identifying problems, considering possible solutions, and choosing appropriate actions.
How Do You Prepare for This Career?
BLS describes the typical preparation for this occupation. Requirements can vary by employer, state, licensing rules and individual circumstances.
How to Become One
How to Become a Food Processing Equipment Worker Experienced workers show trainees how to properly use equipment.
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. Food processing equipment workers usually learn their skills through on-the-job
Training
. Education Employers may require or prefer that applicants to food processing equipment jobs have a high school diploma or equivalent. Because these workers often adjust the quantity of ingredients that go into a mix, math and reading skills are helpful. Training Food processing equipment workers learn on the job. Training may last from a few weeks to a few months. During training, workers learn health and safety rules related to the type of food that they process, as well as how to operate specific equipment and detect malfunctions. Experienced workers typically teach trainees how to properly use and care for equipment.
Your Next Step
Review training, certifications, apprenticeships, or employer-based preparation that may support entry into this career.
Pay
the median annual wage for all workers was $50,980.
Job Outlook
Job Outlook Overall employment of food processing equipment workers is projected to grow 5 percent from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average for all occupations. About 36,600 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. Employment Projected employment of food processing equipment workers varies by occupation (see table). Population growth and continuing consumer preference for convenience foods are expected to drive the demand for food, which will in turn require more food processing workers to produce it. Some food manufacturing companies use equipment that automatically weighs and mixes ingredients, which requires fewer workers to operate machines. Food Processing Equipment Workers Percent change in employment, projected 2025–35 Food processing equipment workers 5% Food processing workers 5% Total, all occupations 3% Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.
What They Do
What Food Processing Equipment Workers Do
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.
Work Environment
Work Environment
Food processing equipment workers held about 297,000 jobs in 2025. Employment in the detailed occupations that make up food processing equipment workers was distributed as follows:
| Food batchmakers | 176,800 |
| Food processing workers, all other | 67,400 |
| Food cooking machine operators and tenders | 31,200 |
| Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders | 21,600 |
The largest employers of food processing equipment workers were as follows:
| Food manufacturing | 78% |
| Retail trade | 6 |
| Employment services | 4 |
| Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods (4244,8) | 3 |
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.
Important Qualities
The following are examples of qualities that are important for these workers to perform their duties. For more information, visit the Employment Projections (EP) skills data page. Detail oriented. Workers must be able to detect small changes in the quality or quantity of food products. They must also follow health and safety standards to avoid injury and prevent food contamination. Physical stamina. Workers stand for long periods as they tend machines and monitor the production process. Physical strength. Food processing equipment workers must be able to lift or move heavy boxes of ingredients, which may weigh up to 50 pounds. Math skills. Workers may need math skills in order to accurately mix specific quantities of ingredients.
More Information
More Information, Including Links to O*NET
Learn more about food processing equipment workers by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
Take the Next Step
Explore Training Options
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Explore pathway →Hear From ED
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Start with ED →Career data and occupational profile text are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook and Employment Projections program. Education requirements are typical entry-level requirements and may vary by employer, state, occupation or individual circumstance. View the official BLS profile.