What it pays
Government survey numbers — not estimates, not ads.
Half of all Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders in the U.S. earn more than $44,810 a year — the middle 80% land between $33,250 and $62,680. About 20,370 people in the U.S. do this work. Figures are for the U.S. occupation group “Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders”. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, published 2025.) In India, Plant and machine operators and assemblers earn about ₹17,329 a month on average — around ₹2.1 lakh a year (government PLFS survey via ILOSTAT, occupation-family figure).
$44,810typical pay / year
20,370people in this work
$62,680+top 10% earn
₹2.1 lakha year in India (family avg)
Think you get this job?Six quick questions on how it really works — with a hint and the reason behind every answer.
Test yourself →The work, task by task
These are the real jobs-to-be-done, not a wish list. Each task shows where we found it, and the prompt underneath is written for that exact task.
Analysing3
Observe and maintain operating conditions
+Check roaster temperature, airflow, and drum speed every hour during the batch, log any deviations with…
Observe and maintain operating conditions
+Check roaster temperature, airflow, and drum speed every hour during the batch, log any deviations with timestamp and operator name, compare readings to the HACCP limits, and flag anything outside spec for immediate correction and root-cause note.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NET
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Weigh or measure products during processing
+Weigh green, defect, and final roast samples at the start and end of each lot, record tare, net weights and…
Weigh or measure products during processing
+Weigh green, defect, and final roast samples at the start and end of each lot, record tare, net weights and batch yield percentage, and note any moisture or density anomalies before moving beans to cooling bins.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NET
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Examine products during and after processing
+Inspect colour, aroma, and sample roast profile immediately after cool-down and again after 24 hours, enter…
Examine products during and after processing
+Inspect colour, aroma, and sample roast profile immediately after cool-down and again after 24 hours, enter cupping notes, defect counts and any off-flavours into the lot file, and mark lots for rework or release.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NET
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Keeping the record1
Record production data including weight, type, and processing time
+For every roast run, enter batch number, green lot origin, roast start and end times, pre- and post-roast…
Record production data including weight, type, and processing time
+For every roast run, enter batch number, green lot origin, roast start and end times, pre- and post-roast weights, and roast profile ID into the production sheet so weights and processing times are auditable for traceability.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NET
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Fixing1
Set temperature and time controls for equipment
+Set the roaster controls for the new green bean lot to 200 degrees Celsius and 12 minutes for the first test…
Set temperature and time controls for equipment
+Set the roaster controls for the new green bean lot to 200 degrees Celsius and 12 minutes for the first test batch, log temperature and time in the roast record, inspect sample at one and five minutes for colour change and adjust accordingly.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NET
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The daily work15
Test products for moisture content, using moisture meters.
+Test today's green and roasted lots for moisture by taking four spot readings per bin with the moisture…
Test products for moisture content, using moisture meters.
+Test today's green and roasted lots for moisture by taking four spot readings per bin with the moisture meter, record lot numbers and meter values, flag any sample over 12.5% for recheck and quarantine, then log results.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelO*NET
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Smooth out products in bins, pans, trays, or conveyors, using rakes or shovels.
+Smooth the top of the 60‑kg bins and conveyor trays with the rake to an even depth, knock down any clumps,…
Smooth out products in bins, pans, trays, or conveyors, using rakes or shovels.
+Smooth the top of the 60‑kg bins and conveyor trays with the rake to an even depth, knock down any clumps, note any foreign matter or uneven roast in the batch log, and update bin fill heights in the daily tally.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelO*NET
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Clean equipment with steam, hot water, and hoses.
+Clean the roaster chutes, pans and conveyors with steam and hot water until no visible residue remains, run a…
Clean equipment with steam, hot water, and hoses.
+Clean the roaster chutes, pans and conveyors with steam and hot water until no visible residue remains, run a sanitising rinse, record cleaning time, temperature and responsible operator in the hygiene log, and restock detergents if low.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelO*NET
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Push racks or carts to transfer products to storage, cooling stations, or the next stage of processing.
+Push the loaded racks from the roastery to the cooling station, secure each rack with its lot tag, note…
Push racks or carts to transfer products to storage, cooling stations, or the next stage of processing.
+Push the loaded racks from the roastery to the cooling station, secure each rack with its lot tag, note arrival time and final cooling position in the transfer log, and report any stuck wheels or damaged racks immediately.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelO*NET
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Read work orders to determine product quantities and types
+Read the production work order for Batch 47, confirm roast profile, target weight and packaging type, check…
Read work orders to determine product quantities and types
+Read the production work order for Batch 47, confirm roast profile, target weight and packaging type, check inventory for required green beans and labels, and mark any shortages for procurement before starting the roast.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptions
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Adjust controls based on temperature, humidity, and pressure gauges
+Adjust the roaster controls to maintain the target curve by checking temperature, humidity and pressure…
Adjust controls based on temperature, humidity, and pressure gauges
+Adjust the roaster controls to maintain the target curve by checking temperature, humidity and pressure gauges every five minutes, document each adjustment and rationale in the roast log, and escalate if readings drift beyond safe limits.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptions
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Interpret data in food manufacturing
+Review the incoming batch QC sheets and lab readings for Lot 7321, flag any values outside regulatory limits…
Interpret data in food manufacturing
+Review the incoming batch QC sheets and lab readings for Lot 7321, flag any values outside regulatory limits or unexpected microbial counts, annotate likely root causes from reception data, and produce a one-page summary for the quality meeting on Thursday.
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Perform physico-chemical analysis to food materials
+Run physico-chemical checks on the green bean sample 7321: calculate moisture, water activity and pH trends…
Perform physico-chemical analysis to food materials
+Run physico-chemical checks on the green bean sample 7321: calculate moisture, water activity and pH trends from the lab runs, compare to spec limits, note any deviations with probable origin and prepare a short corrective-action recommendation for the lab manager by Wednesday.
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Preserve samples
+Log and assign storage locations for the retained samples from Lot 7321, record temperature, packaging and…
Preserve samples
+Log and assign storage locations for the retained samples from Lot 7321, record temperature, packaging and expiry checks, mark any nonconforming samples for quarantine, and export the sample register for the warehouse team before Friday pickup.
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Keep up-to-date with regulations
+Review the list of current food safety regulations and update the compliance register with the October…
Keep up-to-date with regulations
+Review the list of current food safety regulations and update the compliance register with the October changes, flag any new roasting temperature or sampling requirements and email Sarah in quality by Friday with gaps noted.
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Pathogenic microorganisms in food
+Run a pathogens review: collate last six months of lab returns for Salmonella, E. coli and moulds, compare…
Pathogenic microorganisms in food
+Run a pathogens review: collate last six months of lab returns for Salmonella, E. coli and moulds, compare against action limits, note any trends and write a one-page briefing for the head roaster.
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Analyse characteristics of food products at reception
+Inspect today's green bean deliveries and record moisture, cup score and foreign matter, then update the…
Analyse characteristics of food products at reception
+Inspect today's green bean deliveries and record moisture, cup score and foreign matter, then update the incoming quality sheet and highlight any lots that fail the acceptance criteria for Jonathan to quarantine.
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Keep food laboratory inventory
+Audit the lab supplies and reagents, reconcile physical stock with the inventory sheet, note expired or low…
Keep food laboratory inventory
+Audit the lab supplies and reagents, reconcile physical stock with the inventory sheet, note expired or low items and produce a replenishment list for procurement by Wednesday morning.
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Identify the factors causing changes in food during storage
+Run a storage stability check: pull roast date, temperature and humidity logs for the last month, link them…
Identify the factors causing changes in food during storage
+Run a storage stability check: pull roast date, temperature and humidity logs for the last month, link them to cupping scores and bean moisture and summarise the factors correlating with quality loss for the operations meeting.
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Conduct food tests
+Schedule and record the next round of moisture, water activity and microbial tests for three suspect lots,…
Conduct food tests
+Schedule and record the next round of moisture, water activity and microbial tests for three suspect lots, create a test sheet with sample IDs and deadlines, and send it to the lab tech with results due in three days.
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Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses
Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses