What do they 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.

Also known as:

Batch Heat Treat Operator, Batch Operator, Burner, Coating Line Worker, Furnace Operator, Hardener, Heat Treat Furnace Operator, Heat Treat Operator, Heat Treat Technician, Heat Treater, Scarf and Anneal Operator

Typical Wages

Projected Growth Rate

Employment of Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is projected to Decline 11 percent from 2022 to 2032

Projected Employment in VA

No Data Available
  • -11.8%

    Change

    Ranks #45 in job growth rate
    10

    Job Openings

    Ranks #42 in net job growth

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Education Level

Percent of workers in this field with these degrees:

  • High school diploma equivalent  (48%)
  • Some college, no degree  (21%)
  • Less than high school diploma  (18%)
  • Associate's degree  (7%)
  • Bachelor's degree  (5%)
  • Master's degree  (1%)
  • Doctorate or Professional Degree  (<1%)

Typical College Majors

Most Popular Majors that prepare Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Select Type of Degree:

★ There are no majors that have graduates with this degree type

People in this career often have these skills:

  • Operations Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
  • Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

People in this career often know a lot about:

  • Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

People in this career often have talent in:

  • Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
  • Multilimb Coordination - The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
  • Reaction Time - The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
  • Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
  • Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
  • Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
  • Static Strength - The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
  • Trunk Strength - The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without "giving out" or fatiguing.

People in this career often do these activities:

  • Study blueprints or other instructions to determine equipment setup requirements.
  • Review blueprints or other instructions to determine operational methods or sequences.
  • Determine metal or plastic production methods.
  • Record operational or production data.
  • Set up production or processing equipment.
  • Inspect metal, plastic, or composite products.
  • Adjust temperature controls of ovens or other heating equipment.
  • Operate heating or drying equipment.
  • Load items into ovens or furnaces.
  • Signal others to coordinate work activities.
  • Remove products or workpieces from production equipment.
  • Adjust equipment controls to regulate gas flow.
  • Lift materials or workpieces using cranes or other lifting equipment.
  • Mount materials or workpieces onto production equipment.
  • Mount attachments or tools onto production equipment.
  • Heat material or workpieces to prepare for or complete production.
  • Position raw materials on processing or production equipment.
  • Instruct workers to use equipment or perform technical procedures.
  • Maintain production or processing equipment.
  • Replace worn equipment components.
  • Repair production equipment or tools.
  • Clean production equipment.
  • Mark products, workpieces, or equipment with identifying information.
  • Load materials into production equipment.

This page includes data from:

O*NET OnLine Career data: O*NET 28.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (“USDOL/ETA”). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Logo Occupation statistics: USDOL U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics

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