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

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Job Description, Daily Responsibilities, and Work Life

Postal Service Mail Machine Operators

Postal Service Mail Machine Operators prepare incoming and outgoing mail for distribution for the United States Postal Service (USPS). 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 perform other duties related to mail handling within the postal service. Includes postal service mail sorters and processors employed by USPS contractors.

Salary
$51440
Becoming One
Easy
Education
No degree required
Job Satisfaction
Job Growth

Personality



Job Description

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.

Job satisfaction

66%

How meaningful is this job

48%


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

Working hours

Standard 40 hour work week

Working schedule

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.

Do Postal Service Mail Machine Operators work in an office-style work environment?

Every day
100%


Never
0%


Do Postal Service Mail Machine Operators work outdoors?

Never
89%


Every day
9%



Is this right for me

Best personality for this career

The Organizers and The Builders

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.



Learn more about Postal Service Mail Machine Operators

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Related to Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors and Processing Machine Operators Job Description

Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors and Processing Machine Operators job description, what do Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors and Processing Machine Operators do, typical day for Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors and Processing Machine Operators, what is it like to work as a Postal Service Mail Sorter, Processor and Processing Machine Operator, how many hours do Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors and Processing Machine Operators work, day to day work of a Postal Service Mail Sorter, Processor and Processing Machine Operator

Additional resources

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/office-and-administrative-support/postal-service-workers.htm
http://about.usps.com/careers/welcome.htm
http://www.nalc.org/


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