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Frozen Food Manufacturing
Nestlé, Conagra Brands, McCain Foods
Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders
These workers run freezers, chillers, and related equipment that keep food or other products at very specific temperatures. They watch gauges, adjust controls, clear jams, and record readings because even a small shift in temperature or airflow can affect product quality. The job is open to people with a high school diploma and on-the-job training, but it trades that easier entry for cold workspaces, repetitive monitoring, and close quality pressure.
Also known as Freezer OperatorRefrigeration OperatorCold Storage OperatorFreezing Line OperatorChill Room Operator
Median Salary
$40,160
Mean $44,290
U.S. Workforce
~7K
0.8K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+7.2%
7.1K to 7.6K
Entry Education
High school diploma or equivalent
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders sits in the Trades category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~7K workers, with a median annual pay of $40,160 and roughly 0.8K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 7.1 K in 2024 to 7.6K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with High School Diploma or Equivalent, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Production Helper and can progress toward Shift Supervisor. High-value skills usually include Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, and Process Monitoring, paired with soft skills such as Critical Thinking, Complex Problem Solving, and Judgment and Decision Making.
Core Responsibilities
- Assemble cooling or freezing equipment and connect the pipes, valves, and fittings it needs to work.
- Watch gauges, meters, and temperature readings, then adjust controls to keep the product at the right conditions.
- Read control panels to check pressure, temperature, and mix quality, and make valve adjustments when needed.
- Start pumps, feeders, conveyors, and other machines that move or chill the product.
Keep exploring: more Trades careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Assemble cooling or freezing equipment and connect the pipes, valves, and fittings it needs to work.
02 Watch gauges, meters, and temperature readings, then adjust controls to keep the product at the right conditions.
03 Read control panels to check pressure, temperature, and mix quality, and make valve adjustments when needed.
04 Start pumps, feeders, conveyors, and other machines that move or chill the product.
05 Clear jams and handle basic machine problems, then let a supervisor know when something needs more help.
06 Log temperatures, test results, and production amounts, and fine-tune machine speed, airflow, or cutting fixtures to get the right consistency and portion size.
Industries That Hire
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Cold Storage and Warehousing
Lineage Logistics, Americold, United States Cold Storage
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Dairy and Ice Cream Production
Unilever, General Mills, Blue Bell Creameries
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Meat and Poultry Processing
Tyson Foods, JBS USA, Smithfield Foods
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Seafood Processing
Trident Seafoods, Bumble Bee Foods, High Liner Foods
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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You can enter the field with a high school diploma and moderate-term on-the-job training, which makes it easier to break into than many technical jobs.
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The pay is solid for a job that usually does not require college, with a median annual wage of $40,160 and a mean of $44,290.
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The work is concrete and measurable: if you watch the gauges and controls closely, you can see the effect right away in product quality.
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The occupation is projected to grow 7.2% by 2034, and the 0.8K annual openings suggest a steady stream of replacement hiring.
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Many jobs are in year-round food production or cold storage, which can be more stable than seasonal work in some other industries.
Challenges
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You spend a lot of time in cold rooms and around loud machinery, which can be physically uncomfortable and tiring over a full shift.
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The work is repetitive and detail-heavy, so a missed reading or slow adjustment can spoil product quickly.
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The pay is only moderate, so the ceiling is limited unless you move into lead or supervisor roles.
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This is a small occupation, with only 6,590 current jobs, so openings can be sparse in some regions and tied to a few large plants or warehouses.
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Automation and centralized control systems can reduce some hands-on operator work over time, especially in larger facilities.
Career Progression
Production Helper
0-1 years
$30K-$35K
You help move materials, clean equipment, and learn the basic safety rules before taking on the controls yourself.
Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operator
1-4 years
$36K-$44K
You run the equipment, watch readings, and make routine adjustments to keep product moving at the right temperature.
Senior Operator / Lead Operator THIS ROLE
4-8 years
$45K-$54K
You handle more complicated lines, solve recurring issues, and often help train newer workers.
Shift Supervisor
8+ years
$55K-$68K
You oversee the team, keep production on schedule, and coordinate quality, safety, and maintenance issues across the shift.
Education Paths
High School Diploma or Equivalent
The most common education level in the O*NET distribution, at 7.31% of workers, and it matches BLS's typical entry requirement.
Moderate-Term On-the-Job Training
BLS lists moderate-term on-the-job training as the usual way people learn the job after hire, so employers expect you to pick up the controls and procedures on the floor.
Some College Courses
A smaller share of workers reported some college courses, at 0.48%, but this is usually optional rather than required.
Food Processing or Refrigeration Certificate
A short certificate in refrigeration, industrial equipment, or food processing can help with hiring even though it is not the main route into the job.
Key Skills
Technical
Operations Monitoring 78%
Operation and Control 75%
Process Monitoring 70%
Equipment Maintenance 62%
Quality Control Analysis 62%
Refrigeration Controls, Gauges & Freezer Panels 60%
Pumps, Conveyors & Valve Controls 58%
Preventive Maintenance & Lockout/Tagout Safety 56%
Soft Skills
Critical ThinkingComplex Problem SolvingJudgment and Decision MakingAttention to DetailCommunicationTeamwork Job Outlook and Trends
+7.2%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
0.8K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 7.1K to 7.6 K over the next decade, representing 7.2% growth. Around 0.8 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.