Description
Operate and tend cooling machines, including chillers, cooling tunnels, refrigerated conveyors, and heat exchangers, to cool products, foods, blood plasma, or chemicals to specified temperatures; monitor controls, adjust settings, and maintain sanitation and safety.
- • Adjust conveyor speed, cooler settings, and airflow to achieve target product temperature and consistency.
- • Monitor gauges, meters, thermometers, and product condition; adjust controls to maintain specified feed rate, temperature, airflow, and machine speed.
- • Record temperatures, throughput, materials processed, and test results on logs or electronic forms.
- • Read panel indicators for temperature, pressure, pH, and density, and regulate valves to obtain specified mixes and coolant flow.
- • Clear jams and minor faults, and notify supervisors or maintenance of malfunctions.
- • Start pumps, feeders, conveyors, and open or close valves to admit or transfer products, chilled water, or refrigerants.
- • Assemble and connect pipes, fittings, and valves using hand tools.
- • Remove frost, ice, or product buildup from coils and equipment to maintain airflow and heat exchange.
- • Set product load, spacing, and fan settings to ensure uniform cooling and required throughput.
- • Stir or agitate materials to promote even cooling and prevent coagulation or settling.
- • Start agitators or mixers to keep contents moving and prevent sticking during cooling.
- • Measure or weigh ingredients or materials and load them into tanks, vats, hoppers, or other equipment.
- • Load and position containers, trays, racks, or cartons on cooling conveyors or into coolers.
- • Install baffles, guides, or fixtures in coolers to direct airflow and maintain product spacing.
- • Place containers into cooling equipment and remove them after completion of cooling cycles.
- • Inspect, flush, and sanitize lines and equipment using cleaning solutions or steam.
- • Sample and test product characteristics such as temperature, specific gravity, acidity, or sugar content using thermometers, hydrometers, pH meters, or refractometers.
- • Adjust fans, dampers, or louvers to regulate airflow in coolers and tunnels.
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Advanced Manufacturing
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Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
