Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders vs Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders
Side-by-side · O*NET · BLS · AI-exposure research · Anthropic Economic Index
A factual, source-backed comparison of Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders and Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders on the dimensions both occupations carry. Every figure is a position within an independent published dataset — not a verdict on which job is better, safer, or more “future-proof.”
At a glance
| Dimension | Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders | Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $55,770 | $40,160 |
| Employment | 20,330 | 6,590 |
| Employment outlook (2024–34) · BLS projection | Declining (-2.3%) | Growing fast (+7.2%) |
| Annual openings · BLS projection | 2,000 | 800 |
| Typical education · O*NET | Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not. | Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not. |
| AI exposure · published exposure studies | Low · 20th pct | Low · 33rd pct |
| Global GenAI gradient · ILO ISCO-08 · via crosswalk | 54th pct · 28% of tasks | 18th pct · 15% of tasks |
| Observed AI use · Anthropic Economic Index | — | — |
| Mostly remote-capable · Dingel–Neiman | No | No |
Pay and employment are BLS OEWS estimates; outlook and openings are BLS 2024–2034 projections; AI exposure and observed-use figures come from separate research and reflect exposure and usage, not predictions that either job will disappear. Compare like with like.
Skills
Shared: Production and Processing, Operations Monitoring, Control Precision, Operation and Control, Problem Sensitivity, Manual Dexterity, Near Vision, Mechanical, Monitoring, Arm-Hand Steadiness, Reaction Time, Information Ordering, Public Safety and Security, Administration and Management, Deductive Reasoning, Perceptual Speed, Static Strength, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Complex Problem Solving, Quality Control Analysis, Education and Training, Oral Expression, Inductive Reasoning, Finger Dexterity, Trunk Strength, Active Learning.
Specific to Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
- Selective Attention
- Multilimb Coordination
- Rate Control
- Extent Flexibility
- Depth Perception
- Hearing Sensitivity
- Flexibility of Closure
- Response Orientation
Specific to Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders
- English Language
- Food Production
- Equipment Maintenance
- Troubleshooting
- Repairing
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Mathematics
- Time Management
Knowledge, skills & abilities O*NET rates as important for each occupation. “Shared” are common to both; the columns list what is distinctive to each (top by the order O*NET surfaces).
Tools & technology
Shared: Spreadsheet software , Office suite software .
Specific to Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
Specific to Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders
Full profiles
This page is a summary. See the complete source-backed profile for Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders or Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders — tasks, the full skill graph, tools, work context, preparation, wages by percentile, industries, AI exposure and the AI work map.
More comparisons
Related occupations you can place side by side on the same sourced scale.
- Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders vs Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders vs Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders
- Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders vs Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders vs Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders vs Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders
- Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders vs Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders vs Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
- Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders vs Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Sources for this page
Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.
- O*NET 30.3 U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai Microsoft Research
- “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic
- AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans academic
- ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025 International Labour Organization
- IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022 Institute for Structural Research (IBS)
- Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation academic
- Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome academic
Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.
Cite this page
Singulariki. "Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders vs Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders." Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Built from O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026. https://singulariki.com/compare/metal-refining-furnace-operators-and-tenders-vs-cooling-and-freezing-equipment-operators-and-tenders
Singulariki. (2026). Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders vs Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/compare/metal-refining-furnace-operators-and-tenders-vs-cooling-and-freezing-equipment-operators-and-tenders
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title = {Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders vs Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders},
author = {{Singulariki}},
year = {2026},
note = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026},
url = {https://singulariki.com/compare/metal-refining-furnace-operators-and-tenders-vs-cooling-and-freezing-equipment-operators-and-tenders}
} Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.