Production
Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders
Also called: Certified Refrigeration Operator, Compressor Operator, Engine Room Operator, Freezer Operator
US median pay
$41,330
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+5.9%
faster than average
Openings a year (US)
800
7,700 employed
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
Preparation 2/5 · Some preparation
What this job is
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.
What they do day to day
- Record temperatures, amounts of materials processed, or test results on report forms.
- Monitor pressure gauges, ammeters, flowmeters, thermometers, or products, and adjust controls to maintain specified conditions, such as feed rate, product consistency, temperature, air pressure, and machine speed.
- Read dials and gauges on panel control boards to ascertain temperatures, alkalinities, and densities of mixtures, and turn valves to obtain specified mixtures.
- Start machinery, such as pumps, feeders, or conveyors, and turn valves to heat, admit, or transfer products, refrigerants, or mixes.
- Correct machinery malfunctions by performing actions such as removing jams, and inform supervisors of malfunctions as necessary.
- Assemble equipment, and attach pipes, fittings, or valves, using hand tools.
- Measure or weigh specified amounts of ingredients or materials, and load them into tanks, vats, hoppers, or other equipment.
- Adjust machine or freezer speed and air intake to obtain desired consistency and amount of product.
- Weigh packages and adjust freezer air valves or switches on filler heads to obtain specified amounts of product in each container.
- Inspect and flush lines with solutions or steam, and spray equipment with sterilizing solutions.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Operations Monitoring3.9/5
- Operation and Control3.8/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.5/5
- Troubleshooting3.1/5
- Repairing3.1/5
- Quality Control Analysis3.1/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1/5
- Equipment Maintenance3.1/5
Knowledge
- Production and Processing3.9/5
- Mechanical3.4/5
- English Language3.4/5
- Food Production3.3/5
- Administration and Management3.3/5
- Mathematics3.1/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 2 of 5 — Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma; some previous work experience or training helps.
Typical entry education (BLS): High school diploma or equivalent.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Less than high school51%
- Post-secondary certificate41%
Who this job suits
Mostly Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.