A professional who controls retort chamber (steam pressure cooker) to cook canned foods according to specifications. Respnsibilities include:

• Pushes trucks or lowers baskets using hoist, or presses buttons to start conveyorized flow of canned foods into chamber of retort.
• Closes retort door or lid, and turns wheels or moves levers to seal chamber.
• Observes dials and thermometers, and turns valves to admit steam to retort, and control temperature, pressure, and cooking time.
• Turns valves to release steam and admit cooling water into chamber to prevent overcooking at end of cooking cycle.
• May open retort and move basket of canned food to cooling trough, using hoist.
• May record items such as retort number, can size and grade designation, cooking time, and number of pounds pressure on canning report.