Many of the roles in ceramics manufacturing are production roles and require the worker to be factory based. Here is a list and brief description of some of the level 2 roles within ceramics manufacturing:

Low Temperature Kiln Operative  Processes highly decorated tiles which have undergone specialist decoration techniques. For example, silk screen printing, gold and platinum decoration and cutting to achieve mosaic effects.

Glost Selecting & Packing Operative  Controls systems that scan and quality inspects tiles, packs tiles into cartons, labels and wraps cartons and automatically puts them on pallets ready to go to the warehouse.

Roller Kiln Operative  Operates, controls and supervises single layer firing process. Controls the auto loading and unloading of cages of tiles for firing.

Dipping & Printing Operative  Glazes and decorates clay tiles using a variety of techniques. Loads decorated tiles ready for firing.

Tile Press Operative  Operates a hydraulic press and drier to press dust particles in a metal box die to form tile shapes and profiles.

Mill & Spray Drier Operative  Mixes and mills raw ingredients to make liquid slip. A spray dryer converts the slip to dried clay particles – for tile making.

Banding Machine Operative  Operates a machine that is preset to apply a line of ceramic colour to an item in a linear fashion. Items then go for hardening/firing to fire the colour on.

Grinder/Polisher (Biscuit/Glost)  Grinds or polishes off imperfections on biscuit or glost ware, usually as part of the rework process. However, it can be used to remove pin marks from back of flat ware items that won’t go through a ginetting machine.

Vibro Operator  Loads and empties a Vibro Machine, which smoothes the edges of biscuit fired ware ready for glost selecting then glazing.

Hand Sponger  Sponges clay pieces to required standards, ready for biscuit firing.

Hand Decorator  Paints on decoration prior to an item being hardened or fired.

Robot Operator  Robotics are used in many different processes and there are many areas of the Ceramics manufacturing industry where these are used.

Sponge Machine Operator  Operates a sponge machine to remove rough edges on items, ready for firing.

Glaze Sprayer  Applies liquid glaze to biscuit or clay ware items with either a hand spray gun or a glaze spray machine (both are very different processes).

Cup Maker  Produces clay cups on a cup making machine, usually using a plaster mould. Cups are then placed in a drier.

Flat Maker  Produces clay ware on a Flat Making machine, ready for sponging.

Effluent Plant Operative  Ensures the process that cleanses the water run off and recycles waste operates correctly.

Refire Operative  Rubs, grinds and resprays pieces as required.

Glost Inspector  Inspects each piece and grades it as Best, Refire or Pitcher. Refire pieces also marked for rework.

Kiln Placer  Builds kiln car so that it optimises effectiveness of the firing process.

Hand Sprayer  Uses the traditional methods for applying glaze onto sanitaryware.

Process Inspector  Similar to a Fettler except they select the robotic spray programme for each item they finish after the driers.

Pressure Caster  Sets and monitors pressure casting machines, de-moulds and finishes the pieces.

Glaze Operative  Manufactures glaze by mixing correct recipe.

Slip Operative  Manufactures slip by mixing correct recipe, blunging and storing for appropriate maturation.

Caster  Involves pouring liquid clay or slip into moulds to form items such as bowls. Casting has become a mechanised process in many large companies, although there are still opportunities for casters in smaller companies and craft potteries.

Fettler  Smooths (fettles) edges and surface of product.

Kilnman  Operates, controls and supervises the drying and firing process.

Lithographer  Applies lithographs to ceramic ware before firing.

Dipper  Dippers dip each article into the glaze, being careful that the coating is even.

Modeller  The modeller is a skilled artist and designer who makes the clay model of the item which is to be produced.

Mould Maker  Make moulds to produce ceramic items.

Press Operator  Set up and operate hydraulic ram press to form ceramic items.