Material Moving Workers

How to become a Machine Feeder or Offbearer

Official title: Machine Feeders and Offbearers

Also called: Cotton Tipper, Dryer Feeder, Feeder, Lug Loader, Machine Feeder, Offbearer, Sawmill Worker, Sewing Line Baler, Tube Puller

Feed materials into or remove materials from machines or equipment that is automatic or tended by other workers.

Main tasks

Inspect materials and products for defects, and to ensure conformance to specifications.
Record production and operational data, such as amount of materials processed.
Push dual control buttons and move controls to start, stop, or adjust machinery and equipment.
Weigh or measure materials or products to ensure conformance to specifications.
Identify and mark materials, products, and samples, following instructions.
Clean and maintain machinery, equipment, and work areas to ensure proper functioning and safe working conditions.
Load materials and products into machines and equipment, or onto conveyors, using hand tools and moving devices.
Transfer materials and products to and from machinery and equipment, using industrial trucks or hand trucks.

How to become one

There are usually no formal educational requirements to become a hand laborer or material mover. They typically learn through on-the-job training that lasts 1 month or less.

Typical education to start: No formal educational credential

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $41,220 a year The middle half earn $36,420 to $48,480.
About 41,800 people work in this job now, and about 36,300 are projected by 2035. (-13.1%)
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Machine Feeder or Offbearer?

There are usually no formal educational requirements to become a hand laborer or material mover. They typically learn through on-the-job training that lasts 1 month or less.

How much does a Machine Feeder or Offbearer earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $41,220 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $36,420 to $48,480.

Is a Machine Feeder or Offbearer a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to fall 13% by 2035, from about 41,800 to about 36,300 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Machine Feeder or Offbearer?

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

Will AI change the work of a Machine Feeder or Offbearer?

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 Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, 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.