About This Career

Sets up and operates equipment that mixes or blends ingredients used in the manufacturing of food products. Includes candy makers and cheese makers.

This career is part of the Manufacturing cluster Production pathway.

A person in this career:

• Records production and test data for each food product batch, such as the ingredients used, temperature, test results, and time cycle.
• Cleans and sterilizes vats and factory processing areas.
• Sets up, operates, and tends equipment that cooks, mixes, blends, or processes ingredients in the manufacturing of food products, according to formulas or recipes.
• Mixes or blends ingredients, according to recipes, using a paddle or an agitator, or by controlling vats that heat and mix ingredients.
• Gives directions to other workers who are assisting in the batchmaking process.
• Follows recipes to produce food products of specified flavor, texture, clarity, bouquet, or color.
• Selects and measures or weighs ingredients, using English or metric measures and balance scales.
• Presses switches and turns knobs to start, adjust, and regulate equipment, such as beaters, extruders, discharge pipes, and salt pumps.
• Determines mixing sequences, based on knowledge of temperature effects and of the solubility of specific ingredients.
• Observes and listens to equipment to detect possible malfunctions, such as leaks or plugging, and reports malfunctions or undesirable tastes to supervisors.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

• You would often handle loads up to 20 lbs., sometimes up to 50 lbs. You might do a lot of lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling.
• Work in this occupation involves use of protective items such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, a hard hat, or personal flotation devices
• Work in this occupation involves using your hands to hold, control, and feel objects more than one-third of the time
• Work in this occupation requires being inside most of the time
• Sound and noise levels are loud and distracting
• Work in this occupation involves making repetitive motions more than one-third of the time
• Work in this occupation involves standing more than one-third of the time

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

• Picking out a particular sound in the presence of other sounds
• Seeing clearly up close
• Identifying and understanding the speech of another person

Work Hours and Travel

• Regular working hours and limited travel