Production · Holland code RC

Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders

Operate or tend heating equipment other than basic metal, plastic, or food processing equipment. Includes activities such as annealing glass, drying lumber, curing rubber, removing moisture from materials, or boiling soap.

Also called: Dry Kiln Operator, Furnace Operator, Kiln Fireman, Kiln Operator, Annealing Operator, Dryer Feeder, Evaporator Operator, Lime Kiln and Recausticizing Operator.

O*NET 51-9051.00

At a glance

US median annual pay: $48,040; Middle half earn $41,130 to $59,830. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Most common education: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED); 56% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
Preparation needed: Job Zone 2 of 5; Some preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.

What the work involves

The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.

Monitor equipment operation, gauges, and panel lights to detect deviations from standards.
Confer with supervisors or other equipment operators to report equipment malfunctions or to resolve production problems.
Press and adjust controls to activate, set, and regulate equipment according to specifications.
Record gauge readings, test results, and shift production in log books.
Stop equipment and clear blockages or jams, using fingers, wire, or hand tools.
Read and interpret work orders and instructions to determine work assignments, process specifications, and production schedules.
Examine or test samples of processed substances, or collect samples for laboratory testing, to ensure conformance to specifications.
Load equipment receptacles or conveyors with material to be processed, by hand or using hoists.

Skills and knowledge it leans on

Skills

Reading Comprehension3.1 / 5
Active Listening3.1 / 5
Speaking3.1 / 5
Critical Thinking3.1 / 5
Monitoring3.1 / 5
Writing2.6 / 5

Knowledge areas

Mechanical3.5 / 5
Production and Processing3.2 / 5
Public Safety and Security3.1 / 5
Computers and Electronics3.0 / 5
English Language2.8 / 5
Education and Training2.8 / 5

Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.

Who tends to enjoy it

How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.

Realistic97
Investigative18
Artistic0
Social5
Enterprising3
Conventional56

The same work abroad

Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.

European occupation titles (ESCO)

wood drying kiln operator · DE Bediener von Holztrocknungsanlagen/Bedienerin von Holztrocknungsanlagen · FR opérateur de séchoirs à bois/opératrice de séchoirs à bois
metal annealer · DE Konvertermann/Konverterfrau · FR opérateur de four de recuit/opératrice de four de recuit
lime kiln operator · DE Kalkbrenner/Kalkbrennerin · FR conducteur de four à chaux/conductrice de four à chaux
coking furnace operator · DE Steuerer Koksöfen/Steuerin Koksöfen · FR conducteur/conductrice de four à coke
kiln firer · DE Glasierer/Glasiererin · FR conducteur de four en industrie du verre et de la céramique/conductrice de four en industrie du verre et de la céramique
clay kiln burner · DE Tonbrenner/Tonbrennerin · FR conducteur de four en industrie céramique/conductrice de four en industrie céramique

Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)

Metal making and treating process operatives (8115)11,500 employed
Chemical and related process operatives (8113)34,100 employed
Plant and machine operatives n.e.c. (8139)22,500 employed

Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.

Pay across Europe, for the whole group

Median annual earnings of all employees in “Plant and machine operators and assemblers”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.

Median annual earnings, Plant and machine operators and assemblers, by country
Country	Median pay
Belgium	€39,630
Netherlands	€37,567
Austria	€37,304
Sweden	€36,005
Germany	€34,433
Ireland	€32,617
France	€28,550
Italy	€28,330
Spain	€24,409
Portugal	€11,309
Poland	€10,259

Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.

Exposure to AI

This occupation sits in the lower third of the 774 occupations scored, with an exposure score of -0.96. The scores are standardized across those occupations, so 0 is the average and a score of 1 is about one standard deviation above it.

Our note on reading it: the dataset links AI applications to the abilities that occupations require, so the score reflects overlap between the two. It is a comparison between occupations, not a forecast about jobs. It does not say whether exposure means tasks are replaced or workers get more done with the tools, and it says little about one employer or one role.

Source: Felten, E., Raj, M., & Seamans, R. (2021). Occupational, industry, and geographic exposure to artificial intelligence: A novel dataset and its potential uses. Strategic Management Journal, 42(12), 2195-2217. Matched to this page by 6-digit SOC code (51-9051).

Is it a fit for you?

Interest is one input, alongside ability, pay and what is hiring near you. The career interests test takes about thirteen minutes and ranks occupations by how closely their profile matches yours.

Take the career interests test