Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Production
Weigh and measure ingredients against the formula, then start the mixer and run it for the specified time. Work orders and formulas set what goes in and how long it runs. You watch the equipment for safe, steady operation, stop the machine when the mix is right, and open valves or start pumps to move it along. Materials range from spices, dough, juices, and livestock feed to chemicals, color pigments, and explosive ingredients; you check them by eye or by hand against the standard. It suits people who like following formulas closely and watching a process until the mix matches the required quality.
Typical education: High School Diploma or GED
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$48'990
Median Wage Market Position
$48'990
What you might do
- Weigh and measure ingredients to match formulas
- Check the order for mix specs and times
- Start mixers and blend materials for set times
- Monitor mixers so the batch stays on spec
- Stop mixers and pump finished blends onward
- Look over ingredients by sight or hand
Skills that matter
- Overseeing mixers for safe, even blending
- Running mixers, valves, and transfer pumps
- Reading formulas and production work orders
- Measuring ingredients to match the formula
- Knowing when a blend has reached spec
- Finding and fixing mixer and pump problems
AI & the future of this role
Recipe-driven mixing and blending is increasingly open to automated dosing and closed-loop process control. Operators who handle batch changeovers, contamination risks, and verifying blend quality are still likely to stay relevant where products vary.
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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