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Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders

Typical education: High school diplomaModerate pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

Operate or tend equipment such as cooling and freezing units, refrigerators, batch freezers, and freezing tunnels, to cool or freeze products, food, blood plasma, and chemicals.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

Moderate pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $41,330 Median per year · $19.87/hr Most earn $33,430–$62,340

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Measure or weigh specified amounts of ingredients or materials, and load them into tanks, vats, hoppers, or other equipment.
  • Start agitators to blend contents, or start beater, scraper, and expeller blades to mix contents with air and prevent sticking.
  • Correct machinery malfunctions by performing actions such as removing jams, and inform supervisors of malfunctions as necessary.
  • Inspect and flush lines with solutions or steam, and spray equipment with sterilizing solutions.
  • Stir material with spoons or paddles to mix ingredients or allow even cooling and prevent coagulation.
  • Start machinery, such as pumps, feeders, or conveyors, and turn valves to heat, admit, or transfer products, refrigerants, or mixes.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
6% more jobs by 2035, faster than average · about 800 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Animal slaughtering and processing38.2%
  • Dairy product manufacturing13.9%
  • Fruit and vegetable preserving and specialty food manufacturing9.0%
  • Self-employed (their own business)6.1%
  • Beverage manufacturing6.0%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 6 months to 1 year

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: 6 months to 1 year

This is an entry-level job. You can usually start with a high school diploma, and most people get some hands-on experience first, often around 6 months to 1 year, before they run cooling and freezing equipment on their own.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Finish high school and build basic math, science, and safety skills that help you read gauges, temperature charts, and work instructions.

  2. Food Batchmaker

    6 months to 1 year

    Work on a food production line mixing or preparing batches while you learn plant safety, sanitation, and how products move through cooling and freezing steps.

  3. Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operator and Tender

    Ongoing

    Start, monitor, and adjust freezers, chillers, and freezing tunnels to keep products at the right temperature, and log readings to meet food or safety standards.

Where it can lead

  1. Lead Operator

    2-3 years of experience first

    You train newer operators, check the work of others, and help keep the line running on schedule, which means you need reliable experience and good communication.

  2. Stationary Engineer

    2-4 years of experience first

    You take on wider responsibility for plant refrigeration and boiler systems, which usually means completing a certificate or apprenticeship and learning more about how the systems work.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take math and physical science classesAlgebra, chemistry, and physics help you understand heat, temperature, and how machines work.
  • Take a shop, technology, or industrial arts classHands-on practice with tools and equipment prepares you for working around machines safely.
  • Get a part-time job in a food store, restaurant, or warehouseAny job that involves handling food, following safety rules, and working on a team gives you useful experience.
  • Join a Future Business Leaders or career/technical student organizationClubs like this build teamwork, public speaking, and workplace skills employers look for.
  • Volunteer at a food bankHelping store and sort food shows you how cold storage and food handling work in real settings.

In college

  • Take courses in food science, refrigeration basics, or industrial technologyThese classes teach how cooling and freezing affect products and how the equipment works.
  • Get a summer or part-time job in a food processing or cold storage plantDirect experience on a production line is what most employers want to see for this job.
  • Learn food safety and sanitation certificationMany local programs offer food handler or sanitation training, which shows employers you understand safe handling.
  • Join a campus industrial technology or food science clubClubs give you contacts, practice with teamwork, and sometimes plant tours or guest speakers.
  • Ask about co-op or internship programs at your schoolStructured work experience helps you build skills and can lead to a job after graduation.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask a plant or warehouse about entry-level production jobs, even if they are not in cooling. Showing you can show up on time and follow safety rules matters a lot for this career.
  • Learn the basics of food safety and sanitation. Many employers value people who already understand temperature rules and cleaning routines.
  • Get comfortable with simple math and reading charts or gauges, since you will check temperatures and record readings often.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

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