Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons
Build or repair equipment such as furnaces, kilns, cupolas, boilers, converters, ladles, soaking pits, and ovens, using refractory materials.
Also called: Cell Reliner · Cupola Repairer · Furnace Repairer · Hot Repairman · Ladle Liner · Ladle Repairman
Median pay (national)
$58,540
$37,050–$81,440 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
1,100
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
-16.9%
~100 openings/yr
Typical entry
High school diploma or equivalent
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for refractory materials repairers, except brickmasons shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $81,440 versus $37,050 at the bottom 10% — 2.2x. The median of $58,540 leaves roughly 39% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change -16.9% from 2024 to 2034 — a projected decline, against +3% across all occupations. Even so, BLS projects about 100 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 7 states with released data, Virginia pays the most for this role (median $71,500, +22% vs the national median), while South Carolina sits lowest at $36,970 — a 93% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Speaking
- Monitoring
- Writing
- Active Learning
- Learning Strategies
- Mathematics
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- 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.
- Reline or repair ladles and pouring spouts with refractory clay, using trowels.
- Remove worn or damaged plastic block refractory linings of furnaces, using hand tools.
- Climb scaffolding, carrying hoses, and spray surfaces of cupolas with refractory mixtures, using spray equipment.
- Measure furnace walls to determine dimensions and cut required number of sheets from plastic block, using saws.
- Dry and bake new linings by placing inverted linings over burners, building fires in ladles, or by using blowtorches.
- Spread mortar on stopper heads and rods, using trowels, and slide brick sleeves over rods to form refractory jackets.
- Dump and tamp clay in molds, using tamping tools.
- Transfer clay structures to curing ovens, melting tanks, and drawing kilns, using forklifts.
Tools & technology
- Maintenance management software
- Time tracking software
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
Knowledge areas
- Mechanical
- Production and Processing
- Public Safety and Security
- English Language
- Mathematics
- Chemistry
- Design
- Education and Training