Career Overview
Use hands or hand tools to perform routine cutting and trimming of meat, poultry, and seafood.
Also Known As
- Deboner
- Meat Cutter
- Trimmer
- Wing Scorer
Alternate Job Titles
- Abalone Processor
- Animal Eviscerator
- Animal Skinner
- Animal Sticker
- Bacon Derinder
- Bacon Skin Lifter
- Bacon Skinner
- Bacon Slicer
- Beef Boner
- Beef Breaker
- Beef Skinner
- Beef Trimmer
- Bladder Blower
- Bladder Cleaner
- Bladder Tier
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Use knives, cleavers, meat saws, bandsaws, or other equipment to perform meat cutting and trimming.
- Weigh meats and tag containers for weight and contents.
- Inspect meat products for defects, bruises or blemishes and remove them along with any excess fat.
- Cut and trim meat to prepare for packing.
- Separate meats and byproducts into specified containers and seal containers.
Emerging Responsibilities
As this field evolves, you may also:
- Clean meat cutting equipment.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Production and Processing
- Food Production
- Public Safety and Security
- Mathematics
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Near Vision
- Control Precision
- Oral Expression
- Trunk Strength
- Manual Dexterity
- Selective Attention
- Oral Comprehension
- Visualization
- Speech Recognition
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Cautiousness
- Stress Tolerance
- Integrity
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Support
- Relationships
- Working Conditions
- Achievement
- Independence
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Less than a High School Diploma
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year
On-the-Job Training: Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months
Education Details: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Experience Required: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Microsoft Excel
Tools & Equipment
- Blast chillers
- Bone dusters
- Boning knives
- Box cutters
- Butcher knives
- Cubing machines
- Derinding machines
- Electric meat grinders
- Floor jacks
- Forklifts
- Gamb sticks
- Hamburger patty makers
- Hand saws
- Hoisting equipment
- Kitchen shears
Work Environment
- Spend Time Standing
- Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Frequency of Decision Making
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $29,200 |
| Median | $37,700 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $48,680 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 141,090
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Slaughterers and Meat Packers
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $39,790
Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products
Education: Less than a High School Diploma
Median Salary: $35,430
Butchers and Meat Cutters
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $38,960
Packers and Packagers, Hand
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $35,580
Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals
Education: Some College Courses
Median Salary: $36,150
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.