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Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders
Production · SOC 51-9051
0.0% AI Exposure — Low
$48,040
Median Annual Salary
Average
O*NET Outlook
2,400
Proj. Annual Openings
14,280
Employment (OEWS 2025)
-4.6%/yr
Empl. growth (2019–2025)
100/100
AI Resiliency Score
AI exposure from the Anthropic Economic Index (2025); salary from BLS; skills from O*NET. See /sources.
Decision card
Career Evidence Passport
SOC 51-9051 evidence across exposure, wages, projections, postings, certified LCAs, skills, and transitions.
Proxy / seed data labeledDescriptive-only
- SOC exposure
- 0.0%
- Low · Anthropic AEI
- Automation friction
- 51/100
- Moderate friction; broad SOC seed ORS job-requirements coverage.
- Wages
- $48,040
- No H-1B offered-wage row for this SOC.
- Projected openings
- 2,400
- BLS EP 2024–2034; employment change +3.0%.
- Observed/proxy demand
- —
- FY— certified LCAs; 2,605 postings in 2025.
Skill evidence
Operations MonitoringReading ComprehensionActive ListeningSpeakingCritical Thinking
Transition context
- H-1B values are certified Labor Condition Applications, not visa approvals.
- Job postings are seed-static / seed-derived; treat as provider-ready proxy coverage until observed provider data is wired in.
- Transition matches are directional skill-overlap context, not placement guarantees.
- This release is a FutureGrid broad-SOC seed derived from public BLS ORS requirement concepts and categories, not direct occupation-level ORS survey estimates. It describes job requirements, not worker ability, AI capability, or displacement probability. Automation friction is a FutureGrid derived score and should be read alongside exposure, demand, wage, and projection signals.
AI Exposure Analysis
AI Exposure0.0%
AI Resiliency100/100
Exposure BandLow
Sector Avg. Exposure0.7%
Across AI measures
Multiple exposure lenses for this occupation.
18.9%
Consensus
Actual adoption · Anthropic0%
AI capability · OpenAI16%
AI ability · AIOE40.8%
Automation baseline (2013) · Frey & Osborne37%
AI could do ~16% of this role but only ~0% is currently done with AI — a large capability-vs-adoption gap.
Top Skills
1.Operations Monitoring
2.Reading Comprehension
3.Active Listening
4.Speaking
5.Critical Thinking
H-1B Visa Sponsorship Demand
View full H-1B trends →No H-1B certified LCA filings recorded for this occupation in FY2016–FY2025.
O*NET occupation profile
What this work involves
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.
Common titles: Annealing Operator, Dry Kiln Operator, Dryer Feeder, Evaporator Operator, Furnace Operator, Kiln Fireman
Representative Tasks
- •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.
- •Read and interpret work orders and instructions to determine work assignments, process specifications, and production schedules.
Detailed Work Activities
- •Monitor equipment operation to ensure proper functioning.
- •Adjust temperature controls of ovens or other heating equipment.
- •Confer with others to resolve production problems or equipment malfunctions.
- •Record operational or production data.
- •Clear equipment jams.
Tools & Technologies
Microsoft Excel · hotMicrosoft Word · hotInventory tracking softwareMachine operation software
Related Occupations
Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersExtruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersMetal-Refining Furnace Operators and TendersHeat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticCleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders
Employment Projections & AI Exposure
15
Occupations Shown
0.5%
Avg AI Exposure
1
Bright Outlook
Horizontal bar chart showing occupations with the highest projected annual openings. Each bar length represents annual projected openings. Color uses a gradient from violet (lower) to cyan (higher). Summary statistics are shown above the chart.
Employment & Wage Trend
BLS OEWS, 2019–2025
Multi-year BLS OEWS history for SOC 51-9051: 2019 — employment: 18,970, median wage: $40,090; 2020 — employment: 16,880, median wage: $40,670; 2021 — employment: 14,180, median wage: $43,710; 2022 — employment: 15,030, median wage: $44,530; 2023 — employment: 14,820, median wage: $45,640; 2025 — employment: 14,280, median wage: $48,040.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). See /sources.
Sector Comparison
| Metric | This Career | Sector Average |
|---|---|---|
| AI Exposure | 0.0% | 0.7% |
| Outlook | Average | 4% Bright |
| Median Salary | $48,040 | N/A |
| AI Resiliency | 100/100 | N/A |