USPS Mail Carrier Associate Job Description, Key Duties and Responsibilities

This article presents exhaustive information about the USPS mail carrier associate job description, to help you learn about what they do.

It highlights the key duties, tasks, and responsibilities that commonly make up the USPS mail carrier associate work description.

This article also provides the major requirements for being hired as a mail carrier associate with USPS, as well as the expected salary for the role.

Please, read on:

What Does a USPS Mail Carrier Associate Do?

The USPS mail carrier associate job description entails delivering mail to customers and picking up mail from them.

It involves ensuring that all mails are delivered on time or picked up by customers in a timely manner.

The USPS mail carrier associate works with other employees, such as supervisors, managers, and clerks.

This is to ensure that there are no delays in the delivery of mail or pick-up of mail.

In addition, they sort and deliver mail to businesses and residences, and provide customer service to the public.

According to Stephen Meyers of Bloomberg, as a USPS mail carrier, you should expect to deliver lots of packages a day, up to 60, as well as heavy items like furniture.

The mail carrier associate must maintain a neat appearance at all times by wearing the appropriate uniform for their position.

It is their responsibility to address any concerns of others in a professional manner.

They must drive assigned vehicles to deliver the mail on time in a safe manner while obeying all traffic laws, and must follow all rules and regulations set forth by their supervisors.

Furthermore, the USPS mail carrier associate is responsible for heavy lifting, such as lifting boxes weighing up to 25 lbs and no more than 50 lbs.

They also lift mail bags weighing up to 60 pounds, sort mail, and deliver packages from a vehicle within a specified area of the delivery route.

USPS mail carrier associates must perform initial sorting of incoming mail in the manner specified by the postmaster or supervisor on duty.

They must follow all USPS rules and regulations concerning the delivery of mail, including:

It is also their duty to maintain regular and punctual attendance and work overtime as necessary.

More on USPS Mail Carrier Associate Job Description

The mail carrier associate’s work description also entails reading handwritten addresses, noting any missing information, and correcting errors in addresses.

It also includes verifying the information on the form for accuracy and delivering it to the post office by 2 p.m. that day.

USPS mail carrier associates are also responsible for making reports when necessary.

They ensure that all of their uniform, tools and paperwork are stored in a clean, orderly way.

Furthermore, they are also responsible for driving a vehicle from point to point on their designated route, making sure the mail is delivered in accordance with all postal regulations.

A USPS mail carrier associate must be able to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating procedures, and equipment manuals.

They receive written messages or verbal instructions from supervisors and repeat them to customers in order to obtain information needed for mailing jobs, or collect names and addresses of customers who use drop boxes.

It is their responsibility to handle and file mail or other documents.

USPS mail carrier associates places items to be mailed in a manner to deter shoplifters, vandals, and thieves.

They are responsible for maintenance of equipment and vehicles. 

USPS mail carrier associates must complete equipment maintenance logs for each assigned vehicle.

These include time and distance information, major repairs and servicing, and problems encountered in the operation of the vehicle.

Mail carrier associates at USPS must also complete work-related documentation required by their supervisors as needed. 

USPS Mail Carrier Associate Job Description Sample/Example/Template

The USPS mail carrier associate job description consists of the following duties, tasks, and responsibilities:

• Deliver mail to customers
• Pick up mail from customers
• Sort mail for delivery
• Process special deliveries
• Collect money from customers
• Maintain records of customer activity
• Ensure that employees are properly trained
• Provide assistance to other postal workers
• Perform other related work as required.

USPS Mail Carrier Associate Job Description for Resume

If you are making a resume or CV for a new job and have worked before or are presently working as a mail carrier associate at USPS, you can apply the sample job description to make the Professional Experience section of your resume.

You can highlight the duties and responsibilities from the above USPS mail carrier associate job description above in your Professional Experience to show that you have been successful performing that role.

This piece of information can boost the impact of your resume on the recruiter/employer and brighten your chances of being hired, especially if the new job that you are seeking requires some mail carrier associate work experience.

USPS Mail Carrier Associate Job Requirements: Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities for Career Success

If you are seeking to work in the role of a mail carrier associate at USPS, here are major requirements you may be expected to meet to be hired:

• High school diploma or GED equivalent
• Must have valid driver’s license

USPS mail carrier associates must be able to:

• read and write English
• lift objects weighing up to 25 pounds and no more than 50 pounds
• bend, stoop, squat, kneel, climb ladders, and crawl
• see well enough to recognize faces and identify people
• communicate effectively orally and in writing
• understand and comply with oral and written instructions
• comprehend and respond appropriately to changes in routine
• operate standard computer keyboarding skills.

USPS Mail Carrier Employment

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 331,600 USPS mail carriers in employment in the United States in 2023.

The States where USPS mail carriers are in the highest employment include California and Texas, with 32,800 and 26,890 employments respectively.

USPS Mail Carrier Salary

According to reports on Zippia, the current average hourly rate for the USPS mail carrier is $17.28, while the average salary is $35,935 per year, with a range of $21,000 and $59,000.

The States that pay the highest salaries to postal mail carriers in the United States include Washington ($43,362) and Oregon ($43,222).

Conclusion

The US Postal Service mail carrier associate job is an entry-level position where you can start your career working for the United States Government.

You will learn how to sort mail, deliver mail, process special deliveries, collect money, provide customer service, and much more.

This post is helpful to individuals interested in working as a mail carrier associate with USPS; they can learn all they need to know about what the role does.

USPS Mail Carrier Resources

Here are valuable resources you can access to improve your knowledge about the USPS mail carrier industry and develop your career:

Professional Organizations

Useful Blogs

Helpful Books