Job Descriptions
Listed below in alphabetical order are entry-level Postal jobs with job descriptions and starting wages.
Click here for details the comprehensive benefits package that fulltime Postal employees receive.
Automotive Mechanic/Technician
- Test required: Automotive Mechanic Exam 943/944
- Starting Wages: $34,611 per year as of early 2005
- Automotive Mechanics/Technicians are fulltime career employees that repair all types of vehicles. This includes the removal and installation of complete motors, clutches, transmissions, and other major component parts. Applicants must have a valid state driver's license, a safe driving record, and at least two years of documented driving experience.
- Test required: General Maintenance Mechanic Exam 931
- Starting Wages: $16.45 per hour as of early 2005
- Building Equipment Mechanics are fulltime career employees that perform involved trouble shooting and complex maintenance work on building and building equipment systems, and preventive maintenance and preventive maintenance inspections of building, building equipment, and systems. Building Equipment Mechanics maintain and operate a large automated air conditioning system and a large heating system. Applicants may be required to qualify on industrial powered lifting equipment.
- Test required: General Entrance Test Battery 473/473-C
- Starting Wages: $17.48 per hour as of early 2005
- City carriers are fulltime career employees that deliver and collect mail on foot or by vehicle providing customer service in a prescribed area. City carrier applicants must have a current valid state driver’s license, a safe driving record, and at least two years of documented driving experience.
- Test required: Custodial Maintenance Exam 916
- Starting Wages: $26,276 per year as of early 2005
- Custodians are fulltime career employees that perform manual labor duties in connection with the maintenance and cleaning of the buildings, equipment, and grounds of a Postal facility. These duties may involve using a variety of hand and power-assisted tools, and power-driven custodial equipment.
- Test required: Clerical Abilities Exam 710
- Starting Wages: $12.27 per hour as of early 2005
- Data Conversion Operators (DCO’s) use a computer terminal to prepare mail for automated sorting equipment. They read typed or handwritten addresses from a letter image on the terminal screen, and then select and type essential information so that an address bar code can be applied to the letter. Typing or data entry experience is required. DCO’s usually start out as temporary employees at large facilities called Remote Encoding Centers, but these temporary jobs can lead to career positions. There are a number of Remote Encoding Centers nationwide. At each of these facilities, there are typically a larger number of temporary DCO’s (anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand) and a smaller number of career employees. As career jobs become available, they are offered to the DCO’s with the highest 710 exam scores.
- Test required: Electronic Technician Exam 932
- Starting Wages: $43,657 per year as of early 2005
- Electronic Technicians are fulltime career employees that perform a full range of diagnostic, preventative maintenance, alignment and calibration, and overhaul tasks, on both hardware and software on a variety of mail processing, customer service, and building equipment and systems, applying advanced technical knowledge to solve complex problems. Maintenance positions require highly skilled and experienced individuals. All applicants must meet certain knowledge, skills, and abilities requirements. For positions requiring driving, applicants must have a valid state driver's license, a safe driving record, and at least two years of documented driving experience.
- Test required: General Entrance Test Battery 473/473-C
- Starting Wages: $14.34 per hour as of early 2005
- Mail handlers are fulltime career employees that load and unload containers of mail. Mail Handlers transport mail and empty containers throughout the building. They also open and empty containers of mail.
- Test required: General Entrance Test Battery 473/473-C
- Starting Wages: $16.45 per hour as of early 2005
- Mail Processing Clerks are fulltime career employees that operate and monitor performance of automated mail processing equipment or perform manual sorting of mail. Mail Processing Clerks collate, bundle, and transfer processed mail from one area to another.
Mail Processing Equipment Mechanic
- Test required: Maintenance Mechanic MPE Exam 933
- Starting Wages: $40,682 per year as of early 2005
- Mail Processing Equipment Mechanics are fulltime career employees that perform involved trouble-shooting and complex maintenance work throughout the system of mail processing equipment and perform preventative maintenance inspections of mail processing equipment, building, and building equipment. Maintenance positions require highly skilled and experienced individuals. All applicants must meet certain knowledge, skills, and abilities requirements. For positions requiring driving, applicants must have a valid state driver's license, a safe driving record, and at least two years of documented driving experience.
- Test required: General Maintenance Mechanic Exam 931
- Starting Wages: $16.45 per hour as of early 2005
- Maintenance Mechanics are fulltime career employees that perform semiskilled preventive, corrective, and predictive maintenance tasks associated with the upkeep and operation of various types of mail processing, buildings, and building equipment, customer service and delivery equipment.
- Test required: Rural Carrier Associate Exam 460
- Starting Wages: $15.22 per hour as of early 2005
- Rural Carrier Associates are non-career relief employees who serve on a rural route. They sort, deliver, and collect all classes of mail up to 70 pounds along a rural route using a vehicle. Rural Carrier Associates provide customers on the route with a variety of services, including selling stamp supplies and money orders. They must generally provide and maintain their own vehicle, but are given an equipment maintenance allowance. Applicants must have a valid state driver's license, a safe driving record, and at least two years of documented driving experience. Rural Carrier Associate positions may lead to a career position as a regular fulltime Rural Carrier. When a regular Rural Carrier vacancy exists, the Rural Carrier Associate in the office with the longest period of continuous service may elect to be converted to the career position.
Sales, Services, and Distribution Associate and Workers
- Test required: General Entrance Test Battery 473/473-C
- Starting Wages: $16.45 per hour as of early 2005
- Sales, Services, and Distribution Associates are fulltime career employees that provides direct sales and customer support services in a retail environment and perform distribution of mail.
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Study Guide
How to Get a Post Office Job
Copyright © 2004 - ISBN
- A downloadable 42 page guide to Postal jobs featuring…
- How to apply for fulltime jobs, part-time jobs, and exams.
- How to find exam application dates and test dates.
- Exclusive report on which jobs are in the highest demand.
- Entry level job descriptions with wages and benefits.
- How to work from a part-time job into a fulltime job.
- Postal phone directory … over 270 nationwide numbers.
- Web addresses for online job & exam announcements.
- Sneak previews … find out what’s on the exams.
- Plus ... new hiring program … easier to get a job!
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