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Usda Meat Grader Jobs (NOW HIRING)

$40K/yr

  • PTO

Smith@usda.gov Employee may be detailed to any shift at any plant in the Philadelphia District ... See specific grade level specialized experience definitions below. For the GS-05 Level: Applicants ...

Food Specialist II

Tucson, AZ · On-site

$18.15 - $22.69/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • PTO

Responsibilities involve the preparation of meat, adherence to safety and sanitation standards, and ... Work in accordance to USDA regulations, HACCP, SSOP and GMP standards. * Work with student, staff ...

Manager Carcass Merchandising

Springdale, AR · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... to USDA and company standards. Compile grade results across the network and deliver recurring ... Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Animal Science, Meat Science, Food Science, or a related field ...

Manager Carcass Merchandising

Springdale, AR · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... USDA and company standards. • Compile grade results across the network and deliver recurring ... Qualifications • Bachelor's degree in Animal Science, Meat Science, Food Science, or a related ...

Manager Carcass Merchandising

Springdale, AR

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... to USDA and company standards. Compile grade results across the network and deliver recurring ... Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Animal Science, Meat Science, Food Science, or a related field ...

VA MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN 2ND SHIFT

Tolleson, AZ · On-site

$22.75 - $29.50/hr

Troubleshoot, maintain, and repair electrical systems on meat processing and packaging equipment ... Ensure all work meets USDA, OSHA, and JBS safety standards, including lockout/tagout (LOTO ...

Showing results 21-40

Usda Meat Grader information

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$9

$17

$30

How much do usda meat grader jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 18, 2026, the average hourly pay for usda meat grader in the United States is $17.08, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $11.54 and $20.19 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a USDA Meat Grader?

USDA Meat Graders are trained professionals who inspect and evaluate the quality of meat products, such as beef, pork, and lamb, based on established federal standards. They assess factors like marbling, color, texture, and maturity to assign official grades that help determine the value and marketability of the meat. Employed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), these graders ensure that meat products meet safety and quality regulations, which benefits both consumers and producers. Their work is essential for maintaining the integrity and consistency of the meat supply chain.

What skills and qualifications are needed to thrive as a USDA Meat Grader?

To thrive as a USDA Meat Grader, you need a solid understanding of meat science, grading standards, and inspection procedures, typically supported by relevant agricultural or animal science education and USDA training. Familiarity with grading tools, inspection forms, and database systems like the USDA Livestock Mandatory Reporting program is essential. Attention to detail, integrity, and strong observational and communication skills help ensure accurate assessments and compliance with regulations. These skills are critical for maintaining food quality, safety, and consumer trust in the meat industry.

What are common challenges faced by USDA Meat Graders in their daily work, and how can they be addressed?

USDA Meat Graders often encounter challenges such as working in cold environments, maintaining concentration during repetitive tasks, and ensuring consistent application of grading standards. Staying alert and detail-oriented is key, as their decisions directly impact product quality and market value. Building strong communication with plant staff and participating in ongoing training can help address these challenges, ensuring accuracy and efficiency in grading. Adapting to the physical demands of the role and staying updated on regulatory changes are also important for long-term success.

What is the difference between Usda Meat Grader vs Meat Inspector?

AspectUsda Meat GraderMeat Inspector
CertificationsUSDA certification, Meat Grading certificationUSDA certification, Meat Inspection certification
Work EnvironmentMeat processing plants, grading facilitiesProcessing plants, regulatory agencies
Employer & Industry UsageMeat packing companies, USDAUSDA, government agencies, meat processing facilities

While both roles require USDA certification and work in meat processing environments, a USDA Meat Grader primarily assesses meat quality and assigns grades, whereas a Meat Inspector focuses on ensuring meat safety and compliance with regulations. The roles are complementary but distinct in their responsibilities within the meat industry.

More about Usda Meat Grader jobs

What cities are hiring for Usda Meat Grader jobs?

Cities with the most Usda Meat Grader job openings:

What states have the most Usda Meat Grader jobs?

States with the most job openings for Usda Meat Grader jobs include:

What job categories do people searching Usda Meat Grader jobs look for?

The top searched job categories for Usda Meat Grader jobs are:

Infographic showing various Usda Meat Grader job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $35,535 per year, or $17.1 per hour.

$40K/yr

Full-time

PTO

Re-posted 7 days ago


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Job description

$5,000 Sign on Bonus, Creditable Service for Annual Leave Accrual, Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, Accelerated Promotion Program and Referral Bonus Awards are available.
Shifts and species will vary based on assignment.
For additional information call Tisha Smith @ 267-807-7553 or Tisha.Smith@usda.gov
Employee may be detailed to any shift at any plant in the Philadelphia District.
Qualifications:Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement, including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.
Specialized experience:
Specialized experience is experience that provided you with knowledge of the properties and characteristics of regulated food commodities or other products for human consumption. Such experience may have been acquired in work such as consumer safety inspector or inspection aide, food inspector, public health inspector, quality inspection specialist, or similar position with responsibility for sampling, quality control and sanitation in a food manufacturing or production environment, or similar environment for other ingestible items.
See specific grade level specialized experience definitions below.
For the GS-05 Level: Applicants must have at least 52 weeks of qualifying experience that provided knowledge of the properties and characteristics of regulated food commodities and substances; such as: meat, poultry, fish, eggs, or other food or beverages for human consumption, or other ingestible substances, such as pharmaceuticals. You are to show in your resume examples such as applying proper techniques for collecting samples and/or performing field tests and examinations (e.g. identifying abnormalities in the product or production environment and recommending corrective actions), developing written reports and/or reporting findings of results orally (e.g. documenting abnormalities in the product or production environment and communicating those findings to others), and/or skill in maintaining effective personal contacts with a variety of individuals (e.g. discussing findings with internal or external contacts regarding the food safety standards established in the production environment), or other similar work making determinations on products for human consumption or the production environment (e.g. ensuring conformance with established standards). Such experience may have been acquired working positions such as consumer safety inspector or inspection aid, food inspector, public health inspector, quality inspection specialist, or other related position.
For the GS-07 Level: In addition to the qualifications above, applicants must have at least one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-05 level), and incumbents are expected to have performed standard and recurrent duties on an independent basis. Your resume should demonstrate at least 52 weeks of experience in independently carrying out routine, standard assignments on a regular and recurring basis that provided you with knowledge of the properties and characteristics of regulated food commodities and substances; such as: meat, poultry, fish, eggs, or other food for human consumption, and other ingestible substances, such as pharmaceuticals.
For the GS-08 Level: Applicants must have at least one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-07 level). In addition to the qualifications above, experience must include working with the Federal Meat, Poultry, and Egg Products Inspection Acts in order to inspect meat, poultry and egg products; working with basic SSOP and HACCP principles and practices in order to verify plant HACCP and SSOP responsibilities; performing basic mathematics and elementary statistical concepts and methods to perform testing and sampling procedures; and experience in reaching and interpreting conclusions.
For the GS-09 Level: Applicants must have at least one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-08 level). In addition to the qualifications above, incumbents are expected to have experience working at a more independent level than lower graded CSIs, which may include duties such as recommending refusal of exports and providing temporary coverage at locations outside of the official duty station.
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, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Please view OPM's Qualifications Standards, Consumer Safety Inspector Series, GS-1862.
The duties of a Consumer Safety Inspector are performed in a hazardous working environment. For additional information, please click here. The below requirements are not an all-inclusive list. Failure to fully meet a functional requirement is not automatically disqualifying.Education:Education may be used to qualify in lieu of specialized experience as described below.
For the GS-05 level: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or at least 24 semester hours/credits in any combination of coursework in the areas of: agricultural, biological, or physical sciences, food technology, epidemiology, home economics, pharmacy, engineering, or nutrition. Specialized government or military training may be creditable if it is related directly to this position.
OR
A combination of education and specialized experience. In this instance, only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree (with some related coursework, as described in number 2 above) is creditable towards meeting the requirements, along with specialized work experience. The combination must equal 100% of the requirement. For example, if you have 33% of the education requirement, then you will need 67% of the specialized experience requirement.
For the GS-07 Level: One full year of directly related graduate education is qualifying for GS-07.
OR
A combination of education and specialized experience. In this instance, only graduate education directly related to the work of the position is creditable towards meeting the requirements, along with specialized work experience. The combination must equal 100% of the requirement. For example, if you have 33% of the education requirement, then you will need 67% of the specialized experience requirement.
For the GS-09 Level: Two full years of directly related graduate education or a directly related master's degree is qualifying for GS-09.
OR
A combination of education and specialized experience. In this instance, only graduate education in excess of the first 18 semester hours directly related to the work of the position is creditable towards meeting the requirements, along with specialized work experience. The combination must equal 100% of the requirement. For example, if you have 33% of the education requirement, then you will need 67% of the specialized experience requirement.Employment Type: OTHER

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