Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders
Production Occupations- O*NET-SOC code
- 51-3091.00
Operate or tend food or tobacco roasting, baking, or drying equipment, including hearth ovens, kiln driers, roasters, char kilns, and vacuum drying equipment.
- Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08
Low· relative
LowFour relative bandsVery highGroup-level value
Scale, basis and source
Four relative bands (Low / Moderate / High / Very high)
831 detailed occupations in the BLS Employment Projections table. Assigned per National Employment Matrix (NEM) code, so occupations sharing a NEM code carry the same band
- Data source: AnthropicPublished: 2026-03
0.000
0.000Range of values carried here0.745Scale, basis and source
Observed exposure index, 0–1 as published
Mapped onto O*NET tasks
Published per SOC 2018 occupation; every O*NET occupation with the same SOC 2018 code carries this value
- Data source: ILOPublished: 2025
0.13–0.15· 2 ISCO-08 groups
Scale, basis and source
Generative AI exposure index, 0–1 as published
Published per ISCO-08 unit group. Linked to this occupation, wholly or in part, by applying U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (ISCO-08 to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to 2018 SOC) as published
What kind of figure this source publishes
The BLS category is a relative rank, not an absolute level, and it is not a first-hand measurement: it groups an occupation's percentile ranks across several published studies into four bands. It is not an employment or wage forecast, not a probability of adoption, and it does not separate automation from augmentation.
ILO value for each linked ISCO-08 group
- ISCO-08 7511Butchers, Fishmongers and Related Food Preparers0.13
- ISCO-08 8160Food and Related Products Machine Operators0.15
Task-level exposure
Exposed tasks only20 rated tasks · 1 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (5.0%)
β = direct exposure (E1) + 0.5 × exposure when tools are available (E2), per the source repository's definition.
- Source unit: O*NET 27.2 tasks → O*NET 31.0 occupation code
- 1 rated task is not in the O*NET 31.0 task list; its score is kept as published for O*NET 27.2.
- Source
- OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" exposure rubric
- Release
- gh-main-0471612
- License
- MIT License, Copyright (c) 2024 OpenAI
Values in this tab are predicted labels, not observations. Eloundou et al. (2023) published two rating regimes — human raters and GPT-4 — and the β shown here is derived from the GPT-4 rater basis alone; the same task can take a different value under the other regime.
| Task (O*NET 27.2) | βE1 + 0.5 × E2 |
|---|---|
Record production data, such as weight and amount of product processed, type of product, and time and temperature of processing.O*NET Task ID 10063 | 1.0 |
Observe, feel, taste, or otherwise examine products during and after processing to ensure conformance to standards.O*NET Task ID 10058 | 0.0 |
Observe temperature, humidity, pressure gauges, and product samples and adjust controls, such as thermostats and valves, to maintain prescribed operating conditions for specific stages.O*NET Task ID 10059 | 0.0 |
Operate or tend equipment that roasts, bakes, dries, or cures food items such as cocoa and coffee beans, grains, nuts, and bakery products.O*NET Task ID 10060 | 0.0 |
Set temperature and time controls, light ovens, burners, driers, or roasters, and start equipment, such as conveyors, cylinders, blowers, driers, or pumps.O*NET Task ID 10061 | 0.0 |
Observe flow of materials and listen for machine malfunctions, such as jamming or spillage, and notify supervisors if corrective actions fail.O*NET Task ID 10062 | 0.0 |
Weigh or measure products, using scale hoppers or scale conveyors.O*NET Task ID 10064 | 0.0 |
Read work orders to determine quantities and types of products to be baked, dried, or roasted.O*NET Task ID 10065 | 0.0 |
Take product samples during or after processing for laboratory analyses.O*NET Task ID 10066 | 0.0 |
Fill or remove product from trays, carts, hoppers, or equipment, using scoops, peels, or shovels, or by hand.O*NET Task ID 10067 | 0.0 |
Open valves, gates, or chutes or use shovels to load or remove products from ovens or other equipment.O*NET Task ID 10068 | 0.0 |
Clean equipment with steam, hot water, and hoses.O*NET Task ID 10069 | 0.0 |
Clear or dislodge blockages in bins, screens, or other equipment, using poles, brushes, or mallets.O*NET Task ID 10070 | 0.0 |
Push racks or carts to transfer products to storage, cooling stations, or the next stage of processing.O*NET Task ID 10071 | 0.0 |
Start conveyors to move roasted grain to cooling pans and agitate grain with rakes as blowers force air through perforated bottoms of pans.O*NET Task ID 10072 | 0.0 |
Smooth out products in bins, pans, trays, or conveyors, using rakes or shovels.O*NET Task ID 10073 | 0.0 |
Install equipment, such as spray units, cutting blades, or screens, using hand tools.O*NET Task ID 10074 | 0.0 |
Test products for moisture content, using moisture meters.O*NET Task ID 10075 | 0.0 |
Signal coworkers to synchronize flow of materials.O*NET Task ID 10076 | 0.0 |
Dump sugar dust from collectors into melting tanks and add water to reclaim sugar lost during processing.O*NET Task ID 10077 | 0.0 |
β = E1 + 0.5 × E2 · E1 = tasks where direct LLM access alone cuts time by at least 50%, E2 = tasks where software built on top of an LLM cuts time by at least 50%. Values take only 0 / 0.5 / 1.0.
Data sources & licenses — O*NET®, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page
All O*NET 31.0 task statements (19)
All O*NET 31.0 task statements for this occupation (English, as published; task type core or supplemental). Exposure values are not listed here; they are in the table above, next to each task statement as worded in the O*NET version each source used.
| Task (O*NET 31.0) | Type |
|---|---|
| Observe, feel, taste, or otherwise examine products during and after processing to ensure conformance to standards. | Core |
| Observe temperature, humidity, pressure gauges, and product samples and adjust controls, such as thermostats and valves, to maintain prescribed operating conditions for specific stages. | Core |
| Operate or tend equipment that roasts, bakes, dries, or cures food items such as cocoa and coffee beans, grains, nuts, and bakery products. | Core |
| Set temperature and time controls, light ovens, burners, driers, or roasters, and start equipment, such as conveyors, cylinders, blowers, driers, or pumps. | Core |
| Observe flow of materials and listen for machine malfunctions, such as jamming or spillage, and notify supervisors if corrective actions fail. | Core |
| Record production data, such as weight and amount of product processed, type of product, and time and temperature of processing. | Core |
| Weigh or measure products, using scale hoppers or scale conveyors. | Core |
| Read work orders to determine quantities and types of products to be baked, dried, or roasted. | Core |
| Fill or remove product from trays, carts, hoppers, or equipment, using scoops, peels, or shovels, or by hand. | Core |
| Signal coworkers to synchronize flow of materials. | Core |
| Take product samples during or after processing for laboratory analyses. | Supplemental |
| Open valves, gates, or chutes or use shovels to load or remove products from ovens or other equipment. | Supplemental |
| Clean equipment with steam, hot water, and hoses. | Supplemental |
| Clear or dislodge blockages in bins, screens, or other equipment, using poles, brushes, or mallets. | Supplemental |
| Push racks or carts to transfer products to storage, cooling stations, or the next stage of processing. | Supplemental |
| Start conveyors to move roasted grain to cooling pans and agitate grain with rakes as blowers force air through perforated bottoms of pans. | Supplemental |
| Smooth out products in bins, pans, trays, or conveyors, using rakes or shovels. | Supplemental |
| Install equipment, such as spray units, cutting blades, or screens, using hand tools. | Supplemental |
| Test products for moisture content, using moisture meters. | Supplemental |
1.40/ 3· Robot exposure index
Scale, basis and source
Each physical task is graded 0–3 by the setting in which robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated could do it (0 none · 1 purpose-built robot settings such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line · 2 structured facilities such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port · 3 unstructured settings such as a private home or a construction site), and the grades are averaged by share of working time
Physical tasks among this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks
Anthropic estimated the grades and time shares with Claude Opus 5 using web search, as of 2026.
The robot exposure index is a different measure from the AI exposure figures on this site and cannot be added to or compared with them. It does not measure actual adoption or cost, and 0 also covers occupations with no physical tasks.
Tier of each physical task
Robot environment tiers (E0–E3)
E0 noneDetails
Rated not doable by robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated, even in a purpose-built setting
E1 purpose-built robot settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting built around the machine, such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line
E2 structured facilitiesDetails
Rated doable in a human work facility that an institution keeps to a working standard, such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port
E3 unstructured settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting that no institution keeps to a working standard, such as a private home or a construction site
Only tasks classified as physical are listed; other tasks have no tier in the source.
| Task (O*NET 29.3) | Robot environment tier |
|---|---|
| Observe, feel, taste, or otherwise examine products during and after processing to ensure conformance to standards. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Observe temperature, humidity, pressure gauges, and product samples and adjust controls, such as thermostats and valves, to maintain prescribed operating conditions for specific stages. | E2 structured facilities |
| Operate or tend equipment that roasts, bakes, dries, or cures food items such as cocoa and coffee beans, grains, nuts, and bakery products. | E2 structured facilities |
| Set temperature and time controls, light ovens, burners, driers, or roasters, and start equipment, such as conveyors, cylinders, blowers, driers, or pumps. | E2 structured facilities |
| Weigh or measure products, using scale hoppers or scale conveyors. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Fill or remove product from trays, carts, hoppers, or equipment, using scoops, peels, or shovels, or by hand. | E2 structured facilities |
| Take product samples during or after processing for laboratory analyses. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Open valves, gates, or chutes or use shovels to load or remove products from ovens or other equipment. | E2 structured facilities |
| Clean equipment with steam, hot water, and hoses. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Clear or dislodge blockages in bins, screens, or other equipment, using poles, brushes, or mallets. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Push racks or carts to transfer products to storage, cooling stations, or the next stage of processing. | E2 structured facilities |
| Start conveyors to move roasted grain to cooling pans and agitate grain with rakes as blowers force air through perforated bottoms of pans. | E2 structured facilities |
| Smooth out products in bins, pans, trays, or conveyors, using rakes or shovels. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Install equipment, such as spray units, cutting blades, or screens, using hand tools. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Test products for moisture content, using moisture meters. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
Occupation information
Employment outlook (BLS)
- Employment, 2025
- 22K
- Projected employment, 2035
- 22K
- Change (2025–35)
- +0.4%
- Median annual wage, 2025
- $44,810
- Typical education needed for entry
- No formal educational credential
Korea classification links (KSCO)
Links from the current release of the Korea Occupation Direct Crosswalk v1.1, made by AI Changing Work. Relation values are read from the O*NET-SOC occupation side.
| KSCO code | KSCO title | Relation | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 81121 | 빵·과자 및 떡 제조 기계 조작원 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
| 81904 | 커피 및 차류 제조기 조작원 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
| 81905 | 담배 제조 관련 기계 조작원 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
| 81119 | 그 외 제분 및 도정 관련 기계 조작원 | Related, not a match | confirmed |
| 81131 | 육류가공 기계 조작원 | Related, not a match | confirmed |
| 81132 | 어패류가공 기계 조작원 | Related, not a match | confirmed |
| 81140 | 과실 및 채소가공 관련 기계 조작원 | Related, not a match | confirmed |
Relation and status definitions(kr-direct v1.1)
ILO occupational description
AI Changing Work links the ISCO-08 unit groups below to this occupation by applying the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (2018 SOC to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to ISCO-08) as published, without case-by-case selection; each link may be whole or partial.
- ISCO-08 7511Butchers, Fishmongers and Related Food Preparers
- ISCO-08 8160Food and Related Products Machine Operators
Sources: ILO ISCO-08 — details: Credits
ESCO occupational vocabulary
Each entry below is matched to this occupation in the published ESCO-O*NET Crosswalk (version 1, 2022). The match types are that crosswalk's; the wording is AI Changing Work's.
- cacao bean roasterESCO 8160.9This occupation is broader
Cacao bean roasters set up and operate cacao processing equipments such as a continuous roasters, crackers fanners, drying and grinding equipment.
- coffee roasterESCO 8160.23This occupation is broader
Coffee roasters control gas fired roasters to dry coffee beans. They dump coffee beans into roasting ovens and once roasted, they compare colour of roasting beans against specifications. They perform cooling of the beans by operating mechanical blowers.
- dryer attendantESCO 8160.28This occupation is broader
Dryer attendants tend rotary dryers to remove moisture from raw materials or food products in transformation. They observe instruments to verify dryer temperature and regulate steam pressure in order to determine if products have the specified moisture content.
- malt kiln operatorESCO 8160.43This occupation is broader
Malt kiln operators tend kiln machines and equipment while supervising that the grain roasting operation maintains in specified roasting parameters.
- clay kiln burnerESCO 8181.3Overlapping, not the same
Clay kiln burners bake clay products such as brick, sewer pipe or tiles using periodic or tunnel kilns. They regulate valves, observe thermometers, watch for fluctuations, and maintain the kilns.
- kiln firerESCO 8181.10Overlapping, not the same
Kiln firers operate kilns in order to fire decorations or glazes. They determine the level and uniformity of oven temperature, regulate the temperature, and give directions to a helper in preparing firebox and lighting fires.
- tunnel kiln operatorESCO 8181.3.2Overlapping, not the same
Tunnel kiln operators control preheating chambers and tunnel kilns to preheat and bake clay products, such as bricks, sewer popes, mosaic, ceramic or quarry tiles. They observe gauges and instruments and adjust by turning valves if necessary. They pull loaded kiln cars in and out of the heaters and move them to a sorting area.
- wood drying kiln operatorESCO 7521.1Overlapping, not the same
Wood drying kiln operators control the process of applying heat to moist or 'green' wood in order to obtain usable dry wood. Depending on the type of kiln, the drying operator will be responsible for moving the wood into and out of the kiln, temperature control, and ventilation.
Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)
License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)
ESCO reuse terms and the modification notice are in Credits.
France classification links (ROME)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and ROME 4.0 job profiles, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side. Links marked “provisional” were adopted on the judgments of two judges from the same model family (Claude) alone, or by an operator rule applied to their judgments, so they rest on weaker evidence than confirmed links.
| ROME code | ROME title (French) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| H2102 | Conducteur / Conductrice de machines en industrie alimentaire | This occupation is narrowerprovisional |
| D1114 | Torréfacteur / Torréfactrice | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| H2105 | Agent / Agente de production en industrie alimentaire | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: France Travail — Répertoire Opérationnel des Métiers et des Emplois (ROME 4.0), version 61, last updated 15 June 2026 (https://www.data.gouv.fr/datasets/repertoire-operationnel-des-metiers-et-des-emplois-rome). Licence Ouverte 2.0.
ROME codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET-SOC occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a France Travail correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: fr-direct v1)
Spain classification links (CNO-11)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and CNO-11 occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| CNO-11 code | CNO-11 title (Spanish) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 8160 | Operadores de máquinas para elaborar productos alimenticios, bebidas y tabaco | This occupation is narrowerprovisional |
| 7708 | Preparadores y elaboradores del tabaco y sus productos | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), National Classification of Occupations 2011 (CNO-11, Royal Decree 1591/2010) — www.ine.es · Licensed CC BY 4.0. CNO-11 codes and Spanish titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not an INE correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: es-direct v1)
Germany classification links (KldB)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and KldB occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| KldB code | KldB title (German) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 29282 | Berufe in der Lebensmittelherstellung (sonstige spezifische Tätigkeitsangabe) - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten | Overlapping, not the same |
| 29202 | Berufe in der Lebensmittelherstellung (ohne Spezialisierung) - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten | Related, not a match |
| 29272 | Berufe in der Tabakwarenherstellung - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: © Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Klassifikation der Berufe 2010 – überarbeitete Fassung 2020, https://statistik.arbeitsagentur.de. KldB codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own mapping (eigene Zuordnung) and are not a Bundesagentur für Arbeit correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: de-direct v1)
Japan classification links (JSCO)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and JSCO occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| JSCO code | JSCO title (Japanese) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 503 | 食料品生産設備制御・監視員 | Related, not a match |
| 534 | 飲料・たばこ製造従事者 | Related, not a match |
| 504 | 飲料・たばこ生産設備制御・監視員 | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| 533 | 食料品製造従事者 | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan Standard Occupational Classification (Dec. 2009, MIC Notification No. 555). JSCO codes and Japanese titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a MIC correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: jp-direct v1)
Sources, licenses and AI Changing Work's modification and translation notices for this page: Credits & sources