Malt kiln operator

Malt kiln operators tend kiln machines and equipment while supervising that the grain roasting operation maintains in specified roasting parameters.

The following job titles also refer to malt kiln operator:

malt kiln worker
malt kiln operative
malt kiln specialist
malt worker

A high school diploma is generally required to work as a malt kiln operator.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Malt kiln operator is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to malt kiln operator.

coffee roaster
germination operator
cacao bean roaster
yeast distiller
dryer attendant

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of malt kiln operator. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of malt kiln operator with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

malt house supervisor
green coffee coordinator
animal feed supervisor
dairy processing technician
green coffee buyer

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of malt kiln operator.

• Types of barley: The different types of barley; their characteristics, and quality.
• Temperature scales: Celsius and Fahrenheit temperature scales.
• Fire-fighting systems: The devices and systems used to extinguish fires; the classes and chemistry of fire.

These skills are necessary for the role of malt kiln operator.

• Operate a heat treatment process: Apply heat treatment aimed at preparing and preserving half-finished or finished food products.
• Apply flame handling regulations: Apply laws and organisation rules for the safe storage and use of flammables.
• Clean food and beverage machinery: Clean machinery used for food or beverage production processes. Prepare the appropriate solutions for cleaning. Prepare all parts and assure that they are clean enough to avoid deviation or errors in the production process.
• Apply HACCP: Apply regulations regarding manufacture of food and food safety compliance. Employ food safety procedures based on Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP).
• Operate industrial ovens: Observe temperature and heat oven to the specified temperature. Operate roasting pans and facilitate the roasting process with instruments that prevent grain from sticking to the pans.
• Be at ease in unsafe environments: Be at ease in unsafe environments like being exposed to dust, rotating equipment, hot surfaces, sub-freezing and cold storage areas, noise, wet floors and moving lift equipment.
• Control gas-fired furnace for malt roasting: Light and control gas-fired furnace that heats malt drying kilns.
• Roast malt: Roast malt following the adequate procedures, paying attention to the time of roasting to obtain specified colour or hardness. Follow specifications of drying and roasting.
• Take measures against flammability: Take measures against fire. Liquor that contains 40% ABV will catch fire if heated to about 26 °C and if an ignition source is applied to it. The flash point of pure alcohol is 16.6 °C.
• Set up machine controls: Set up or adjust machine controls to regulate conditions such as material flow, temperature, or pressure.
• Adhere to organisational guidelines: Adhere to organisational or department specific standards and guidelines. Understand the motives of the organisation and the common agreements and act accordingly.
• Use different types of fire extinguishers: Understand and apply various methods of firefighting and various types and classes of fire extinguishing equipment.
• Monitor roasting: Monitor the roasting of coffee beans and grains for proper degree of roasting to produce the desired flavours and colours.
• Apply requirements concerning manufacturing of food and beverages: Apply and follow national, international, and internal requirements quoted in standards, regulations and other specifications related with manufacturing of food and beverages.
• Apply GMP: Apply regulations regarding manufacture of food and food safety compliance. Employ food safety procedures based on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).
• Carry out checks of production plant equipment: Carry out checks of the machinery and equipment used in the production plant. Ensure that the machinery is working properly, set machines before usage, and assure continuous operability of the equipment.
• Monitor temperature in manufacturing process of food and beverages: Monitor and control required temperatures in the different phases of production until the product reaches suitable properties according to specifications.
• Manage kiln ventilation: Managing a product specific and energy efficient kiln ventilation.
• Maintain industrial ovens: Maintaining industrial ovens in order to ensure effective and correct operation.
• Tend fans for machines: Start fans that force conditioned air into drums or compartments.
• Manage flammable substances: Managing flammable substances to roasting operations and ensuring that safety measures are in place.
• Tend agitation machine: Tend agitation machine ensuring that there is a uniform agitation of the batch.
• Exert quality control to processing food: Ensure the quality of all factors involved in a food production process.
• Adjust temperature gauges: Operate temperature gauges to maintain food and drink items at appropriate temperatures.
• Stand high temperatures: Stand high temperatures while keeping concentration and efficiency under demanding circumstances.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of malt kiln operator. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Colour ranges of roasting: Different colour codes and ranges, usually depicted in colour charts, to define their roast color levels.
• Food dehydration processes: The processes by which fruit and vegetables are dehydrated including techniques such as sun drying, indoor drying, and industrial applications for drying food. The dehydration process goes from selection of the fruit and vegetables according to their size, washing the fruit, classifying according to the product, storage, and mixing with ingredients resulting in a final product.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of malt kiln operator. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Act reliably: Proceed in a way that one can be relied on or depended on.
• Follow written instructions: Follow written directions in order to perform a task or carry out a step-by-step procedure.
• Show confidence: Demonstrate degrees of maturity by fully understanding one’s own qualities and abilities which can serve as sources of confidence in different situations.
• Liaise with colleagues: Liaise with fellow colleagues to ensure common understanding on work related affairs and agree on the necessary compromises the parties might need to face. Negotiate compromises between parties as to ensure that work in general run efficiently towards the achievement of the objectives.
• Lift heavy weights: Lift heavy weights and apply ergonomic lifting techniques to avoid damaging the body.
• Adjust drying process to goods: Adjust machine settings to adapt drying processes, drying times, and special treatments to the requirements of the goods to be dried.
• Dispose food waste: Dispose or collect food waste with the purpose of recycling or throwing away from the production process. Follow established procedures for their disposal taking care of the environment and the safety matters according to legislations.
• Perform services in a flexible manner: Adapt service approach when circumstances change.
• Liaise with managers: Liaise with managers of other departments ensuring effective service and communication, i.e. sales, planning, purchasing, trading, distribution and technical.
• Ensure compliance with environmental legislation in food production: Make sure to comply with environmental legislation in food production. Understand the legislation related to environmental matters in food manufacturing and apply it in practice.
• Label samples: Label raw material/ product samples for laboratory checks, according to implemented quality system.
• Follow verbal instructions: Have the ability to follow spoken instructions received from colleagues. Strive to understand and clarify what is being requested.

8160 – Food and related products machine operators

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References

1. Malt kiln operator – ESCO