What do they do?

Operate or tend furnaces, such as gas, oil, coal, electric-arc or electric induction, open-hearth, or oxygen furnaces, to melt and refine metal before casting or to produce specified types of steel.

Also known as:

Arc and Argon Oxygen Decarburization Melter (ARC and AOD Melter), Automatic Furnace Operator, Central Melt Specialist, Control Room Operator, Cupola Tender, Electric Melt Operator, Furnace Operator, Induction Furnace Operator, Melt Room Operator, Melter, Operating Technician (Operating Tech), Skimmer, Vacuum Melter, Vessel Operator

Typical Wages

Projected Growth Rate

Employment of Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders is projected to show little or no change from 2022 to 2032.

Projected Employment in OH

No Data Available
  • 0%

    Change

    Ranks #28 in job growth rate
    140

    Job Openings

    Ranks #5 in net job growth

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Education Level

Percent of workers in this field with these degrees:

  • High school diploma equivalent  (52%)
  • Some college, no degree  (22%)
  • Less than high school diploma  (12%)
  • Bachelor's degree  (7%)
  • Associate's degree  (6%)
  • Master's degree  (1%)
  • Doctorate or Professional Degree  (<1%)

Typical College Majors

Most Popular Majors that prepare Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders

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★ 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.
  • Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

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.
  • Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

People in this career often have talent in:

  • Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
  • 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).
  • 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.
  • Reaction Time - The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
  • Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.

People in this career often do these activities:

  • Adjust equipment controls to regulate gas flow.
  • Adjust equipment controls to regulate coolant flow.
  • Adjust flow of electricity to tools or production equipment.
  • Calculate specific material, equipment, or labor requirements for production.
  • Collect samples of materials or products for testing.
  • Clean materials to prepare them for production.
  • Measure ingredients or substances to be used in production processes.
  • Record operational or production data.
  • Monitor instruments to ensure proper production conditions.
  • Adjust temperature controls of ovens or other heating equipment.
  • Operate cranes, hoists, or other moving or lifting equipment.
  • Inspect production equipment.
  • Place materials into molds.
  • Skim impurities from molten metal.
  • Load materials into production equipment.
  • Ignite fuel to activate heating equipment.
  • Signal others to coordinate work activities.
  • Watch operating equipment to detect malfunctions.
  • Direct operational or production activities.
  • Clean 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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