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Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Typical education: High school diplomaHigh pressure

What they do

Set up, operate, or tend heating equipment, such as heat-treating furnaces, flame-hardening machines, induction machines, soaking pits, or vacuum equipment to temper, harden, anneal, or heat treat metal or plastic objects.

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.

High 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 $48,750 Median per year · $23.44/hr Most earn $35,180–$66,350

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Record times that parts are removed from furnaces to document that objects have attained specified temperatures for specified times.
  • Remove parts from furnaces after specified times, and air dry or cool parts in water, oil brine, or other baths.
  • Examine parts to ensure metal shades and colors conform to specifications, using knowledge of metal heat-treating.
  • Start conveyors and open furnace doors to load stock, or signal crane operators to uncover soaking pits and lower ingots into them.
  • Set and adjust speeds of reels and conveyors for prescribed time cycles to pass parts through continuous furnaces.
  • Determine types and temperatures of baths and quenching media needed to attain specified part hardness, toughness, and ductility, using heat-treating charts and knowledge of methods, equipment, and metals.

Job outlook

United States
10% fewer jobs by 2035, declining · about 1,100 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

  • Coating, engraving, heat treating, and allied activities22.5%
  • Fabricated metal product manufacturing18.3%
  • Machinery manufacturing7.4%
  • Aerospace product and parts manufacturing6.6%
  • Iron and steel mills and ferroalloy manufacturing4.4%

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

Experience before this job: 3 to 6 months

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: 3 to 6 monthsEntry-level

This is an entry-level job. Most people need a high school diploma and a few months of on-the-job experience, so you can often start right after school or training.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Build a solid base in math, science, and shop or technical classes, which helps you learn machine settings, temperatures, and safety rules on the job.

  2. Production or furnace helper at a metal or manufacturing plant

    3-6 months

    Learn how a plant runs, how to load and handle metal parts safely, and how furnace equipment is monitored before you are trusted to run it yourself.

  3. Heat Treating Equipment Setter, Operator, and Tender

    Ongoing

    You set up and run heat-treating furnaces or induction equipment, check temperatures and part quality, and keep the equipment safe and running.

Where it can lead

  1. Lead Heat Treat Operator

    3-5 years of experience first

    You take on more responsibility by training newer operators, checking settings on tougher jobs, and helping solve problems when a batch does not come out right.

  2. Heat Treat Supervisor

    5+ years of experience first

    You oversee a team and schedule, manage quality checks and safety records, and make decisions about equipment and staffing.

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 temperatures, material properties, and the reasons behind heat-treating steps.
  • Join a shop, robotics, or technical clubHands-on teamwork with tools and machines builds comfort with equipment and shows you whether you enjoy working with metal.
  • Take a vocational or career and technical education courseIf your school offers welding, machining, or manufacturing courses, they teach measurement, tool safety, and how metal behaves when heated.
  • Get a starter job or a summer job in manufacturingAny job at a plant or warehouse teaches you shift work, following procedures, and staying safe around heavy equipment.
  • Practice reading instructions and gaugesReading thermometers, timers, and written work orders carefully is a daily skill in this job, and you can practice it through any hands-on project.

In college

  • Take chemistry or materials science coursesUnderstanding how heat changes metal's hardness and structure gives you a strong foundation for this work and for moving into supervisor roles.
  • Look for a summer internship or co-op at a manufacturing or metal processing companyReal experience on a plant floor shows employers you know how a production line runs and how safety works.
  • Earn safety or equipment-related certificationsMany schools offer short safety or forklift-type courses, and certificates like these make you a stronger candidate for entry-level plant jobs.
  • Join an engineering or manufacturing student clubClubs help you learn about production processes, meet local employers, and build teamwork and communication skills.
  • Work a campus or off-campus job that involves equipment or following proceduresWorking in a lab, dining kitchen, or maintenance crew builds the attention to detail and safety habits that heat-treating work requires.

Tips for getting started

  • Take shop, metals, or drafting classes if your school offers them, and ask your teacher about safety training you can add to your resume.
  • Look for a part-time or summer job at a manufacturing plant, machine shop, or metal processing company. Even sweeping floors or loading parts shows employers you can work safely and reliably.
  • Be ready to learn on the job. Employers often train new hires themselves, so being punctual, careful, and willing to follow safety procedures matters a lot.

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.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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