What does a meat packer do?
Meat packer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real meat packer resumes:
- Pack meat products an run packing machines
- Pack meats in the various containers, run a meat grinder.
- Maintain FDA regulations by keeping meat slicing utensils, tables, and floors sanitize.
- Implement safety techniques according to FDA regulations and attend regular safety meetings to ensure all safety techniques are properly implement.
- Attach burners on the top castings with clips.
Meat packer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 22% of Meat Packers are proficient in Pallets, OSHA, and Safety Regulations. They’re also known for soft skills such as Customer-service skills, Hand-eye coordination, and Physical strength.
We break down the percentage of Meat Packers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Pallets, 22%
Weighted every box that was done ready to be put in pallets till we complete the order.
- OSHA, 14%
Ensured all areas were maintained and a sanitary condition to eliminate potential food borne diseases per OSHA mandated guidelines.
- Safety Regulations, 14%
Adhered to health and safety regulations for food handling; cleaned and sanitized equipment.
- Assembly Line, 8%
Worked on assembly line at a plastic molding factory, separated meat product, and worked in low temperature freezers.
- Safety Standards, 7%
Notified supervisor of any necessary repairs or adjustments and recommended changes to improve safety standards.
- USDA, 6%
Processed and boxed meat in accordance with USDA Standards.
Common skills that a meat packer uses to do their job include "pallets," "osha," and "safety regulations." You can find details on the most important meat packer responsibilities below.
Customer-service skills. The most essential soft skill for a meat packer to carry out their responsibilities is customer-service skills. This skill is important for the role because "hand laborers and material movers who work with the public, such as grocery baggers or carwash attendants, must be pleasant and courteous to customers." Additionally, a meat packer resume shows how their duties depend on customer-service skills: "inspected, packed, labeled, and palletized various meat products to customer, company, and fda standards"
Hand-eye coordination. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling meat packer duties is hand-eye coordination. The role rewards competence in this skill because "most hand laborers and material movers use their arms and hands to manipulate objects or move objects into specific positions." According to a meat packer resume, here's how meat packers can utilize hand-eye coordination in their job responsibilities: "ensured hand and eye coordination at all times in facility. "
Physical strength. meat packers are also known for physical strength, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to meat packer responsibilities, because "some hand laborers and material movers must be able to lift and carry heavy objects." A meat packer resume example shows how physical strength is used in the workplace: "verify inventory computations by comparing them to physical counts of stock. "
The three companies that hire the most meat packers are:
- Sysco111 meat packers jobs
- Price Chopper Supermarkets-Market 324 meat packers jobs
- EFP3 meat packers jobs
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Compare different meat packers
Meat packer vs. Cold storage worker
The role of packers/shippers is to prepare products for shipping. They are responsible for labeling, packing, cleaning, and maintaining shipping containers. Also, they are accountable for preventing things from being damaged. A few skills packers/shippers should have to accomplish these responsibilities include hand-eye coordination, customer service skills, and attention to detail. One should also have a college degree to become a successful packer/shipper.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a meat packer are more likely to require skills like "osha," "safety regulations," "usda," and "punctuality." On the other hand, a job as a cold storage worker requires skills like "cold storage warehouse," "safety policies," "cold storage facility," and "frozen food." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Cold storage workers really shine in the retail industry with an average salary of $38,725. Comparatively, meat packers tend to make the most money in the finance industry with an average salary of $38,130.On average, cold storage workers reach similar levels of education than meat packers. Cold storage workers are 0.0% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.2% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Meat packer vs. Packer/shipper
In the manufacturing industry, an assembler/packer is primarily responsible for assembling components and packing products according to guidelines and protocols. They are responsible for understanding assembly instructions and schematics, operating tools and equipment, and developing safe and efficient strategies to accomplish production goals according to schedules. There are also times when they must attend meetings, produce progress reports, perform maintenance checks on machines, and clean work areas. Moreover, as an assembler/packer, it is essential to adhere to the facility's safety standards and policies for a safe and effective workflow.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, meat packer responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "pallets," "osha," "safety regulations," and "safety standards." Meanwhile, a packer/shipper has duties that require skills in areas such as "package orders," "electric pallet jack," "rf scanner," and "load trucks." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
On average, packer/shippers earn a higher salary than meat packers. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, packer/shippers earn the most pay in the technology industry with an average salary of $33,844. Whereas meat packers have higher pay in the finance industry, with an average salary of $38,130.In general, packer/shippers achieve similar levels of education than meat packers. They're 0.8% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Meat packer vs. Assembler/packer
Typically working at meat and butcher shops, a meat wrapper specializes in preparing, cutting, processing, and wrapping meats for selling. To carry out their duties, they must inspect the meat's quality, utilize saws and grinders, weigh and wrap portions, and display it on shelves while adhering to the health protocols and standards. There are also instances where they must label products according to their price and kind, assist customers, answer inquiries, and provide suggestions. Most importantly, a meat wrapper ensures the cleanliness of work areas in adherence to the food safety regulations.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from meat packer resumes include skills like "pallets," "osha," "safety standards," and "usda," whereas an assembler/packer is more likely to list skills in "part numbers," "hand tools," "pallet jack," and "quality standards. "
Assembler/packers earn the best pay in the manufacturing industry, where they command an average salary of $30,029. Meat packers earn the highest pay from the finance industry, with an average salary of $38,130.When it comes to education, assembler/packers tend to earn similar degree levels compared to meat packers. In fact, they're 0.9% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Meat packer vs. Meat wrapper
Even though a few skill sets overlap between meat packers and meat wrappers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a meat packer might have more use for skills like "osha," "safety regulations," "assembly line," and "safety standards." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of meat wrappers require skills like "food handling," "basic math," "math," and "display cases. "
Meat wrappers enjoy the best pay in the retail industry, with an average salary of $32,013. For comparison, meat packers earn the highest salary in the finance industry.In general, meat wrappers hold similar degree levels compared to meat packers. Meat wrappers are 1.2% more likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of meat packer
Updated January 8, 2025
