Skip navigation

Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, & Processing Machine Operators

Also called: Automation Clerk, Distribution Clerk, Mail Handler, Mail Processor

Where in the military? In the military: see titles from the Air Force, Marine Corps, or Navy.

What they do:
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.
On the job, you would:
  • Clear jams in sorting equipment.
  • Operate various types of equipment, such as computer scanning equipment, addressographs, mimeographs, optical character readers, and bar-code sorters.
  • Sort odd-sized mail by hand, sort mail that other workers have been unable to sort, and segregate items requiring special handling.

Knowledge

Arts and Humanities
  • English language
Manufactured or Agricultural Goods
  • manufacture and distribution of products

Skills

Basic Skills
  • keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
  • reading work related information
Problem Solving
  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Abilities

Hand and Finger Use
  • hold or move items with your hands
  • put together small parts with your fingers
Verbal
  • read and understand what is written
  • communicate by speaking

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include data, detail, and regular routines.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Integrity
  • Attention to Detail
  • Dependability
  • Cooperation
  • Self Control
  • Stress Tolerance

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Data base user interface and query software
  • Address Management System AMS
  • Directory software
Optical character reader OCR or scanning software
  • Multi-line optical character reader OCR software
Point of sale POS software
  • NCR Advanced Store

Education

Education: (rated 2 of 5)
high school diploma/GED or
no high school diploma/GED
usually needed

Get started on your career:

Find Certifications Apprenticeship.gov

Job Outlook

Below Average Outlook
New job opportunities are less likely in the future.
Salary
$57,260
$34,310
$58,570
Check out my state Local Salary Info Find Jobs

Explore More

You might like a career in one of these industries:
See more details at O*NET OnLine about postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators.