# Crematory Operators

> Operate crematory equipment to reduce human or animal remains to bone fragments in accordance with state and local regulations. Duties may include preparing the body for cremation and performing general maintenance on crematory equipment. May use traditional flame-based cremation, calcination, or alkaline hydrolysis.

- **SOC code:** 39-4012.00
- **Canonical URL:** https://singulariki.com/roles/role-39-4012-00
- **Also known as:** Cremation Arranger, Cremator, Crematory Operator, Operations Team Member (Ops Team Member), Pet Crematory Operator, Removal Technician (Removal Tech)
- **Frame:** "AI exposure" means task overlap (how codifiable the work is), not jobs lost or a forecast. Every figure below is traced to a named public dataset.

## What this work is

**Core tasks** (O*NET):
- Clean the crematorium, including tables, floors, and equipment.
- Document divided remains to ensure parts are not misplaced.
- Embalm, dress, or otherwise prepare the deceased for viewing.
- Explain the cremation process to family or friends of the deceased.
- Offer counsel and comfort to bereaved families or friends.
- Pick up and handle human or pet remains in a respectful manner.
- Place corpses into crematory machines to reduce remains to bone fragments using flame, heat, or alkaline hydrolysis.
- Pulverize remaining bone fragments into smaller pieces, using specialized equipment, such as a cremulator or grinder.
- Read documentation to confirm the identity of the deceased.
- Remove jewelry, watches, or other personal items from the deceased prior to cremation.
- Sweep or vacuum the cremation chamber to retrieve remains for storage in an urn or other container.
- Transport the deceased to a funeral home or crematory using a van, hearse, or other vehicle.

## Skills, tools, capabilities

**Skills in demand:**
- Microsoft Word _(Common Skill)_
- Microsoft Excel _(Common Skill)_

**Tools & technology:**
- Microsoft Excel _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Office software _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Word _(hot technology)_
- Belmar & Associates Mortware
- HMIS Advantage

## AI exposure & outlook

- **AI task-overlap index:** 25th percentile (Low) across all occupations — composite of current-era exposure studies (ai-exposure-index-v1).
- **LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou):** 12th percentile (Low) — source: eloundou_gamma.
- **AI assistant applicability (Microsoft):** 42nd percentile (Moderate) — source: microsoft_applicability.
- **Projected employment (BLS 2024–34):** 3.3% growth (About average); 0.6k annual openings; 3.1k → 3.2k jobs.
- **Pay & employment (BLS OEWS, May 2024):** median $42,880; 2,950 employed.

## Sources

- **O*NET** (30.3) — U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development. https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html
- **BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** (May 2024) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- **BLS Employment Projections** (2024–2034) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- **Anthropic Economic Index** (v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27)) — Anthropic. https://www.anthropic.com/economic-index
- **Microsoft “Working with AI”** (working-with-ai) — Microsoft Research. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/
- **“GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.)** (arXiv 2303.10130) — OpenAI / academic. https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130

---
_Generated from Singulariki's joined dataset; data snapshot 2026-06-02T21:00:32.945303+00:00. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-39-4012-00_