Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders
Production
Cooling units, batch freezers, refrigerators, and freezing tunnels bring food, chemicals, and blood plasma down to the required temperature. Pressure gauges, ammeters, flowmeters, and thermometers are watched so feed rate, consistency, air pressure, and machine speed stay on target; valves are turned when a mixture's temperature, alkalinity, or density is off. Pumps, feeders, and conveyors are started to move product or refrigerant, and jams are cleared when a machine stops. Pipes, fittings, and valves are attached with hand tools when equipment is assembled, and temperatures, amounts processed, and test results are written on report forms. People who like watching instruments, holding conditions steady, and doing mechanical fixes tend to fit.
Typical education: Less than a High School Diploma
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$41'330
Median Wage Market Position
$41'330
What you might do
- Hold temperature and pressure by reading the gauges
- Start pumps and conveyors that move product through
- Turn valves to admit refrigerant or mixed product
- Clear jams and report machines that will not run
- Attach pipes, fittings, and valves with hand tools
- Log temperatures, amounts processed, and test results
Skills that matter
- Watching gauges to hold set temperatures
- Adjusting valves for feed and pressure
- Choosing settings that keep product consistent
- Recording temperatures and test results
- Clearing jams and assembling fittings
- Alerting supervisors about machine faults
AI & the future of this role
Automated sensors and software may take over more monitoring and setpoint adjustments, while physical tending, troubleshooting, and keeping chilled product lines running still require on-site operators. Demand for cold-chain production helps buffer the role, though routine control work looks more exposed.
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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