Conveyor Operators and Tenders
Transportation and Material Moving
Watches lights, dials, and gauges while conveyors carry materials to stockpiles, processing stations, or vehicles, and adjusts speed or routing when needed. Loads and unloads product by hand or with lifts, hoists, scoops, gates, and hoppers, and uses poles, bars, or hand tools to clear jams. Stops the machinery when something goes wrong, tells a supervisor about faults, and writes down weights, quantities, storage locations, and downtime. Also hauls supplies to work stations with lifts and trucks. Suits people who like watching a system run, clearing jams with tools, and logging what moved and what broke.
Typical education: Less than a High School Diploma
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$42'420
Median Wage Market Position
$42'420
What you might do
- Watch conveyor lights, dials, and gauges
- Load or adjust materials on the conveyor
- Stop machinery and clear jams with tools
- Record weights, types, and storage locations
- Tell supervisors when equipment needs repair
- Deliver materials to work stations with lifts
Skills that matter
- Monitoring conveyor lights, dials, and gauges
- Clearing jams with poles and bars
- Loading product by hand or hoist
- Recording weights, types, and downtime
- Alerting supervisors to machine failures
- Controlling material speed and routing
AI & the future of this role
Much of this role is monitoring flow, speed, and routing on fixed systems—tasks sensors and control software may take over more readily. Hands-on clearing of jams and quick physical interventions still matter, but overall demand for dedicated tenders looks softer.
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Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details