Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers

What the job really is

Inspect, test, sort, sample, or weigh nonagricultural raw materials or processed, machined, fabricated, or assembled parts or products for defects, wear, and deviations from specifications. May use precision measuring instruments and complex test equipment.

At a glance

• Sector: Production
• O*NET-SOC code: 51-9061
• O*NET job zone: 2 — some preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Discard or reject products, materials, or equipment not meeting specifications.
• Mark items with details, such as grade or acceptance-rejection status.
• Measure dimensions of products to verify conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments, such as rulers, calipers, gauges, or micrometers.
• Notify supervisors or other personnel of production problems.
• Inspect, test, or measure materials, products, installations, or work for conformance to specifications.
• Write test or inspection reports describing results, recommendations, or needed repairs.
• Recommend necessary corrective actions, based on inspection results.
• Read dials or meters to verify that equipment is functioning at specified levels.
• Make minor adjustments to equipment, such as turning setscrews to calibrate instruments to required tolerances.
• Read blueprints, data, manuals, or other materials to determine specifications, inspection and testing procedures, adjustment methods, certification processes, formulas, or measuring instruments required.
• Monitor production operations or equipment to ensure conformance to specifications, making necessary process or assembly adjustments.
• Record inspection or test data, such as weights, temperatures, grades, or moisture content, and quantities inspected or graded.

Tools and technology

Apache Hive, Atlassian JIRA, Autodesk AutoCAD, Dassault Systemes SolidWorks, Extensible markup language XML, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft SharePoint, Microsoft Visio

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Calibration Technologists and Technicians
• Industrial Machinery Mechanics
• Electrical and Electronic Equipment Assemblers
• Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers
• Electromechanical Equipment Assemblers
• Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping
• Engine and Other Machine Assemblers
• Machine Feeders and Offbearers

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 2 (some preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.