94140 – Process control and machine operators, food and beverage processing

Lead statement

Process control operators, food and beverage processing operate multi-function process control machinery to process and package food and beverage products.

Main duties

• Operate multi-function process control machinery through control panels, computer terminals or other control systems to grind, extract, mix, blend, cook or otherwise process food products and to bag, box or otherwise package food products
• Operate multi-function process control machinery to grind, extract, mix, blend, distill, ferment or otherwise process alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages and to bottle, can or otherwise package beverages
• Observe gauges, computer printouts and video monitors to verify specified processing conditions and make adjustments to process variables such as cooking times, ingredient inputs, flow rates and temperature settings
• Maintain shift log of production and other data.
• Set up and adjust food or beverage processing and packaging machines
• Operate single-function machines to grind, extract, mix, blend, dry, freeze, cook or otherwise process food or beverage products
• Operate single-function machines to box, can or otherwise package food or beverage products
• Check products to ensure conformance to company standards and clear machine blockages as required
• Record production information such as quantity, weight, size, date and type of products packaged
• Perform corrective machine adjustments, clean machines and immediate work areas.

Employment requirements

• Completion of secondary school may be required.
• On-the-job training is provided.
• Experience as a machine operator in food or beverage processing is usually required for industrial process control operators.
• Experience as a labourer in food or beverage processing may be required for machine operators.

Example job titles

process control operator - food and beverage processing · fermentation process operator - food and beverage processing · smokehouse operator - food and beverage processing · yeast room operator · brewery worker · candy centre maker · coffee roaster · dough-kneading machine tender · flour miller · machine operator - food and beverage processing · dry foods mixer operator · pasteurizer operator · pasteurizer operator - food and beverage processing · sterilizer operator - food and beverage processing · sterilizer machine operator - food and beverage processing · bakery machine operator - food and beverage processing

Wages (per hour)

Source: Job Bank wages, 2025 release (ESDC). Low and high are the 10th and 90th percentiles.