Career Overview
Build or repair equipment such as furnaces, kilns, cupolas, boilers, converters, ladles, soaking pits, and ovens, using refractory materials.
Also Known As
- Cupola Repairer
- Ladle Liner
- Refractory Bricklayer
- Refractory Technician
Alternate Job Titles
- Bondactor Machine Operator
- Cell Reliner
- Clay Structure Builder
- Clay Structure Servicer
- Concrete Caulking Technician
- Cupola Repairer
- Furnace Repairer
- Hot Repairman
- Kiln Door Builder
- Kiln Door Repairer
- Ladle Liner
- Ladle Repairer
- Ladle Repairman
- Oven Equipment Repairer
- Plastic Block Boiler Reliner
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Reline or repair ladles and pouring spouts with refractory clay, using trowels.
- Chip slag from linings of ladles or remove linings when beyond repair, using hammers and chisels.
- Mix specified amounts of sand, clay, mortar powder, and water to form refractory clay or mortar, using shovels or mixing machines.
Emerging Responsibilities
As this field evolves, you may also:
- Reline furnaces using ramming material.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Mechanical
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Extent Flexibility
- Near Vision
- Multilimb Coordination
- Control Precision
- Manual Dexterity
- Oral Comprehension
- Gross Body Equilibrium
- Trunk Strength
- Problem Sensitivity
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
- Attention to Detail
- Stress Tolerance
- Integrity
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Support
- Independence
- Relationships
- Working Conditions
- Achievement
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year
On-the-Job Training: Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months
Education Details: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Experience Required: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Acid scrubbers
- Band saws
- Boom trucks
- Brick cutting saws
- Brick hammers
- Burner management systems
- Conveyor belts
- Cordless power grinders
- Cordless power nibblers
- Cordless saws
- Cutting torches
- Dump trucks
- Electric overhead traveling EOT crane
- Feed fired heaters
- Flat cold chisels
Work Environment
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Exposed to Contaminants
- Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled
- Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
- Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $37,050 |
| Median | $58,540 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $81,440 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 1,100
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Brickmasons and Blockmasons
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $60,800
Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic
Education: Not specified
Median Salary: $45,690
Helpers--Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $46,480
Foundry Mold and Coremakers
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $45,700
Terrazzo Workers and Finishers
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $57,260
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.