How to become a Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operator or Tender

Official title: Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders

Also called: Anodizer, Clean in Places Operator (CIP Operator), Filler Operator, Parts Cleaner, Sanitation Technician, Sanitation Worker, Sanitizer, Tub Wash Operator, Tub Washer, Wash Crew Person

Operate or tend machines to wash or clean products, such as barrels or kegs, glass items, tin plate, food, pulp, coal, plastic, or rubber, to remove impurities.

Main tasks

• Add specified amounts of chemicals to equipment at required times to maintain solution levels and concentrations.
• Observe machine operations, gauges, or thermometers, and adjust controls to maintain specified conditions.
• Set controls to regulate temperature and length of cycles, and start conveyors, pumps, agitators, and machines.
• Drain, clean, and refill machines or tanks at designated intervals, using cleaning solutions or water.
• Operate or tend machines to wash and remove impurities from items such as barrels or kegs, glass products, tin plate surfaces, dried fruit, pulp, animal stock, coal, manufactured articles, plastic, or rubber.
• Record gauge readings, materials used, processing times, or test results in production logs.
• Examine and inspect machines to detect malfunctions.
• Measure, weigh, or mix cleaning solutions, using measuring tanks, calibrated rods or suction tubes.

How to become one

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: $43,530 a year The middle half earn $37,310 to $49,320.
• About 16,200 people work in this job now, and about 16,800 are projected by 2035. (+3.4%)
• People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Related jobs

• Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders
• Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders
• Etchers and Engravers
• Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic
• Stone Cutters and Carvers, Manufacturing
• Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers

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Questions people ask

How much does a Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operator or Tender earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $43,530 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $37,310 to $49,320.

Is a Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operator or Tender a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 3% by 2035, from about 16,200 to about 16,800 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operator or Tender?

Usually not. Only 10% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operator or Tender?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

• Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.