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Agricultural Grader Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Butter Grader

Burley, ID ยท On-site

$40/hr

The Idaho State Department of Agriculture is currently recruiting for a part time Butter Grader in the Animal division. The duty station will be located in the Magic Valley. Apply today! SPECIAL ...

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Agricultural Grader information

What does an agricultural grader do?

An Agricultural Grader is responsible for inspecting and grading agricultural products such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, or grains to determine their quality and ensure they meet industry standards. They use specific criteria, such as size, color, maturity, and absence of defects, to classify products. Agricultural Graders often work in warehouses, processing plants, or shipping areas, and their evaluations help determine the value and marketability of the produce. Their work is essential for ensuring that consumers receive safe and high-quality food products.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an agricultural grader?

To thrive as an Agricultural Grader, you need a keen eye for detail, strong knowledge of grading standards, and typically a high school diploma or equivalent. Familiarity with inspection tools, grading equipment, and computerized record-keeping systems is often required. Attention to detail, effective communication, and integrity help ensure precise assessments and accurate reporting. These skills are crucial for maintaining product quality, meeting regulatory standards, and supporting fair market practices.

What are some common challenges agricultural graders face during peak harvest seasons?

During peak harvest seasons, Agricultural Graders often encounter high workloads and tight timeframes as large volumes of produce need to be assessed quickly and accurately. This can lead to long shifts and the need to maintain focus to ensure quality standards are met without errors. Adapting to variations in produce quality and collaborating with other team members, such as farm workers and quality control supervisors, is essential to keep operations running smoothly. Effective communication and time management skills help graders overcome these challenges while maintaining product consistency.

What is the difference between Agricultural Grader vs Agricultural Inspector?

AspectAgricultural GraderAgricultural Inspector
CertificationsTypically requires agricultural or grading certificationsRequires agricultural or food safety certifications
Work EnvironmentOn farms, packing facilities, or grading stationsField inspections, processing plants, or regulatory agencies
Employer & Industry UsageUsed by farms, packing houses, and agricultural companiesEmployed by government agencies, food safety organizations, or farms

While both roles involve working with agricultural products, an Agricultural Grader primarily assesses and grades produce for quality, often working directly in packing or processing facilities. An Agricultural Inspector focuses on ensuring compliance with safety and quality standards, often working in the field or regulatory settings. Both roles require agricultural knowledge and certifications but differ in their focus and work environment.

How to get a job as an agricultural grader?

To become an agricultural grader, candidates typically need a high school diploma or equivalent and relevant experience in agriculture or food processing. Training is often provided on the job, and knowledge of quality standards and grading procedures is important; some positions may require certification or familiarity with grading tools and equipment.
More about Agricultural Grader jobs
Infographic showing various Agricultural Grader job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 82% Full Time, 11% Part Time, 1% Temporary, 1% Contract, and 4% Nights. Highlights an 93% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 5% Remote job distribution.

$67K/yr

Full-time

This job post hasย expired today.ย Applications are no longer accepted.


Job description

Serves as an Agricultural Commodity Grader responsible primarily for conducting plant survey inspections of dairy processing plants by evaluating plant premises, equipment, operations and products to determine compliance with official specifications/requirements and eligibility for official plant approval status. Performs verification audits according to established procedures and will also perform grading and inspection of dairy food products.
Qualifications:Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.
TIME-IN-GRADE: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled.
FOR THE GS-10 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-09 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates:
  • Inspect products for compliance with all types of contract specifications, to recognize all product defects.
  • Make, explain, or defend nearly all inspection determinations, only rarely requiring technical assistance in borderline cases.
  • Inspect or evaluate complicated processing equipment and procedures, and conditions of storage or transportation, such as is typical of most dairy products production and advising industry employees on product quality control methods.
OR OR Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in Dairy Science, Food Science, Animal Science, Biology, Microbiology, Agriculture, Life Sciences, or related fields. or LL.M., if related
Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for this grade level.
TRANSCRIPTS are required if:
  • You are qualifying for the position based on education.
  • You are qualifying for this position based on a combination of experience and education.
  • This education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university.
COMBINATION OF EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-10 GRADE LEVEL: Applicants may have combinations of successfully completed education and specialized experience to meet total qualification requirements. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for that grade level.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.Education:Please see above for education qualification requirement information.Employment Type: OTHER