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Office & Administration · Updated Aug 2026

Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service

Prepare incoming and outgoing mail for distribution. Time-stamp, open, read, sort, and route incoming mail; and address, seal, stamp, fold, stuff, and affix postage to outgoing mail or packages. Duties may also include keeping necessary records and completed forms.

JVS 2.0.0-phase4b
AI Exposure
61/100
High

How much of this occupation’s work can be materially affected by current AI systems.

Replacement Risk
51/100
Moderate

How likely exposure is to translate into reduced human demand.

Includes provisional estimates for AI adoption pressure and labour-market resilience. How this is measured

Evidence quality
Confidence81/100
Task coverage84%

Confidence reflects task coverage, mapping and capability-evidence quality, and how much of the score rests on provisional inputs.

Task-level evidence

What is driving the score?

Occupation scores are built from the task mix—not a single prediction about a job title.

JVS 2.0.0-phase4b
TaskImportanceAI impactExposure
Weigh packages or letters to determine postage needed, using weighing scales and rate charts.High
75
Verify that items are addressed correctly, marked with the proper postage, and in suitable condition for processing.High
76
Wrap packages or bundles by hand, or by using tying machines.High
74
Release packages or letters to customers upon presentation of written notices or other identification.High
70
Affix postage to packages or letters by hand, or stamp materials, using postage meters.High
76
Determine manner in which mail is to be sent, and prepare it for delivery to mailing facilities.High
75
Operate computer-controlled keyboards or voice recognition equipment to direct items according to established routing schemes.High
67
Sort and route incoming mail, and collect outgoing mail, using carts as necessary.High
76
Place incoming or outgoing letters or packages into sacks or bins based on destination or type, and place identifying tags on sacks or bins.Medium
76
Accept and check containers of mail or parcels from large volume mailers, couriers, and contractors.High
76
Adjust guides, rollers, loose card inserters, weighing machines, and tying arms, using rules and hand tools.Medium
71
Inspect mail machine output for defects and determine how to eliminate causes of any defects.High
61
Read production orders to determine types and sizes of items scheduled for printing and mailing.Medium
75
Sell mail products, and accept payment for products and mailing charges.Medium
58
Contact delivery or courier services to arrange delivery of letters and parcels.Medium
76
Remove from machines printed materials, such as labeled articles, postmarked envelopes or tape, and folded sheets.High
24
Remove containers of sorted mail or parcels and transfer them to designated areas according to established procedures.High
24
Mail merchandise samples or promotional literature in response to requests.Medium
33
Start machines that automatically feed plates, stencils, or tapes through mechanisms, and observe machine operations to detect any malfunctions.Medium
32
Lift and unload containers of mail or parcels onto equipment for transportation to sortation stations.High
24
Add ink, fill paste reservoirs, and change machine ribbons when necessary.Medium
74
Most exposed

Where AI can do more

Routine, digitized, and highly repeatable tasks face the greatest pressure.

  1. Verify that items are addressed correctly, marked with the proper postage, and in suitable condition for processing.76
  2. Affix postage to packages or letters by hand, or stamp materials, using postage meters.76
  3. Sort and route incoming mail, and collect outgoing mail, using carts as necessary.76
  4. Place incoming or outgoing letters or packages into sacks or bins based on destination or type, and place identifying tags on sacks or bins.76
Hardest to automate

Where people still matter

These tasks score lowest on automation feasibility—physical presence, judgement, accountability and real-world variability all resist end-to-end automation.

  1. Lift and unload containers of mail or parcels onto equipment for transportation to sortation stations.01
  2. Remove from machines printed materials, such as labeled articles, postmarked envelopes or tape, and folded sheets.02
  3. Remove containers of sorted mail or parcels and transfer them to designated areas according to established procedures.03
  4. Start machines that automatically feed plates, stencils, or tapes through mechanisms, and observe machine operations to detect any malfunctions.04
  5. Mail merchandise samples or promotional literature in response to requests.05
Where else this work leads

Related occupations

Occupations O*NET links to this one. Relatedness reflects shared work, not a claim that these roles are safer.

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Beyond AI capability

Adoption and labour-market outlook

Structural factors are kept separate from raw capability so you can see what actually resists automation. Adoption pressure and labour-market resilience are still provisional models—25% of this occupation’s replacement-risk weight rests on them.

Human dependency70
Physical dependency58
Adoption pressure51
Labour-market resilience59
Methodology & sources

O*NET 30.3 occupational data interpreted through the JobsVsAI capability, automation and structural-constraint models.

Confidence81/100
CalculatedAug 21, 2026
Read methodology →