What Do Postal Service Mail Machine Operators Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Postal Service Mail Machine Operators prepare incoming and outgoing mail for distribution. Examine, sort, and route mail. Load, operate, and occasionally adjust and repair mail processing, sorting, and canceling machinery. Keep records of shipments, pouches, and sacks; and other duties related to mail handling within the postal service. They also direct items according to established routing schemes, using computer-controlled keyboards or voice-recognition equipment.

Other tasks include:

• Check items to ensure that addresses are legible and correct, that sufficient postage has been paid or the appropriate documentation is attached, and that items are in a suitable condition for processing.
• Clear jams in sorting equipment.
• Bundle, label, and route sorted mail to designated areas, depending on destinations and according to established procedures and deadlines.
• Operate various types of equipment, such as computer scanning equipment, addressographs, mimeographs, optical character readers, and bar-code sorters.
• Move containers of mail, using equipment, such as forklifts and automated “trains”.
• Open and label mail containers.

We asked Postal Service Mail Machine Operators how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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66% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 48% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Postal Service Mail Machine Operators operate various types of equipment, such as computer scanning equipment, addressographs, mimeographs, optical character readers, and bar-code sorters. They clear jams in sorting equipment.

A typical day for a Postal Service Mail Sorter, Processor and Processing Machine Operator will also include:

• Bundle, label, and route sorted mail to designated areas, depending on destinations and according to established procedures and deadlines.
• Direct items according to established routing schemes, using computer-controlled keyboards or voice-recognition equipment.
• Open and label mail containers.
• Accept and check containers of mail from large volume mailers, couriers, and contractors.
• Sort odd-sized mail by hand, sort mail that other workers have been unable to sort, and segregate items requiring special handling.

We asked some Postal Service Mail Machine Operators a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	43% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	76% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	73% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	29% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	19% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	72% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Postal Service Mail Machine Operators also search directories to find correct addresses for redirected mail. They may also weigh articles to determine required postage.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Postal Service Mail Machine Operators Rewrap soiled or broken parcels. They might also Cancel letter or parcel post stamps by hand.

In addition, they Check items to ensure that addresses are legible and correct, that sufficient postage has been paid or the appropriate documentation is attached, and that items are in a suitable condition for processing.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Distribute incoming mail into the correct boxes or pigeonholes.

To some Postal Service Mail Machine Operators, it is also their responsibility to Dump sacks of mail onto conveyors for culling and sorting.

Working life

Standard 40 hour work week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Postal Service Mail Sorter, Processor and Processing Machine Operator, you can expect to work 40 hour work week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas..

They also like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/office-and-administrative-support/postal-service-workers.htm

http://about.usps.com/careers/welcome.htm

http://www.nalc.org/