Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
Also called: Arc and Argon Oxygen Decarburization Melter (ARC and AOD Melter), Automatic Furnace Operator, Backbreaker, Bessemer Converter Blower, Bessemer Converter Operator, Bessemer Regulator, Blade Bender Furnace Tender, Blast Furnace Blower
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.
What metal-refining furnace operators and tenders do
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Prepare material to load into furnaces, including cleaning, crushing, or applying chemicals, by using crushing machines, shovels, rakes, or sprayers.
- Remove impurities from the surface of molten metal, using strainers.
- Observe operations inside furnaces, using television screens, to ensure that problems do not occur.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders salary
The median annual wage for metal-refining furnace operators and tenders is $54,430 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $39,200 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $74,470. The mean annual wage is $55,490.
The mean hourly wage of $26.00 is 3.6× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $54,430 → in 3 years $59,000 → in 5 years $62,300 → in 10 years $71,400 (10-year range $61,400–$82,800). The model assumes pay growth of +2.7% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
The same job in Japan
| Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders United States | 鉄鋼製造オペレーター Japan | |
|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | $54,430 | ¥5.88M ≈ $37,364 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | $71,400 | ¥6.85M |
| Outlook score | 41 | 41 |
| AI replacement risk | 38% Low | 63% High |
| Workers | 17K | — |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 2 — some preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★☆☆☆ Fairly easy (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become metal-refining furnace operators and tenders
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as metal-refining furnace operators and tenders
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.