🇺🇸American Dream Jobs
Manufacturing51-4051.00Specialization

Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders

Operate or tend furnaces, such as gas, oil, coal, electric-arc or electric induction, open-hearth, or oxygen furnaces, to melt and refine metal before casting or to produce specified types of steel.

$50,250
Median Pay
Less than 6 months
Training
🟠
In Transition
📚Find TrainingCompare with other careersCalculate lifetime earnings
View Metal & Plastic Machine Workers

This is a specialization of

Metal & Plastic Machine Workers

Career Overview Video

AI Impact Assessment

AI Resilience Score

Score 2/6: low AI task exposure, declining job demand, limited human advantage indicates this career is being transformed by AI

🟠In Transition

How we calculated this:

AI Exposure
Low+2

10% of tasks can be accelerated by AI

Job Growth
Declining+0

-2% projected (2024-2034)

Human Advantage
Weak+0

EPOCH score: 9/25

Total Score2/6
Methodology: v2.0 - GPTs are GPTs / BLS / EPOCH Additive ScoringUpdated: 2026-01-09
View full methodology →

Key Responsibilities

  • Regulate supplies of fuel and air, or control flow of electric current and water coolant to heat furnaces and adjust temperatures.
  • Draw smelted metal samples from furnaces or kettles for analysis, and calculate types and amounts of materials needed to ensure that materials meet specifications.
  • Weigh materials to be charged into furnaces, using scales.
  • Record production data, and maintain production logs.
  • Observe air and temperature gauges or metal color and fluidity, and turn fuel valves or adjust controls to maintain required temperatures.
  • Operate controls to move or discharge metal workpieces from furnaces.
  • Inspect furnaces and equipment to locate defects and wear.
  • Drain, transfer, or remove molten metal from furnaces, and place it into molds, using hoists, pumps, or ladles.
  • Kindle fires, and shovel fuel and other materials into furnaces or onto conveyors by hand, with hoists, or by directing crane operators.

Education & Training

Typical Entry Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Time to Job Ready

0-1 years

Based on Job Zone 2. For formal education duration only, see education_duration.

Technology Skills

Process control softwareMicrosoft ExcelSafety management systemsProduction tracking

Key Abilities

Control PrecisionProblem SensitivityManual DexterityNear VisionArm-Hand SteadinessReaction TimeSelective AttentionInformation OrderingMultilimb CoordinationDeductive Reasoning

Ready to Start Your Career?

Find jobs and training programs for metal-refining furnace operators and tenders- Median salary: $50K/year

🔍

Find Jobs

Search positions from LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor, and more. Get up to 50 relevant job listings with salary info.

  • Real-time results
  • Export to Excel
📚

Find Training

Discover training programs, certifications, and educational resources to help you get started or advance your career.

  • Local programs
  • DOL verified
Find Training Programs
Training data powered byCareerOneStop- U.S. Department of Labor

Compensation Details

$37,180
10th Percentile
$50,250
Median
$82,530
90th Percentile

Based on 20,870 employed workers

Also Known As

Arc and Argon Oxygen Decarburization Melter (ARC and AOD Melter)Automatic Furnace OperatorBackbreakerBessemer Converter BlowerBessemer Converter OperatorBessemer RegulatorBlade Bender Furnace TenderBlast Furnace BlowerBlast Furnace KeeperBlast Furnace Operator

Data from O*NET 30.1 and BLS Occupational Employment Statistics

O*NET Code: 51-4051.00