What it pays
Government survey numbers — not estimates, not ads.
Half of all Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers in the U.S. earn more than $48,570 a year — the middle 80% land between $35,510 and $77,860. About 597,370 people in the U.S. do this work. Figures are for the U.S. occupation group “Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers”. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, published 2025.) In India, Plant and machine operators and assemblers earn about ₹17,329 a month on average — around ₹2.1 lakh a year (government PLFS survey via ILOSTAT, occupation-family figure).
$48,570typical pay / year
597,370people in this work
$77,860+top 10% earn
₹2.1 lakha year in India (family avg)
Think you get this job?Six quick questions on how it really works — with a hint and the reason behind every answer.
Test yourself →The work, task by task
These are the real jobs-to-be-done, not a wish list. Each task shows where we found it, and the prompt underneath is written for that exact task.
Keeping the record2
Use precision measuring instruments
+Record precise caliper and spectrophotometer readings for the batch of Burley leaf lot 4721, note any…
Use precision measuring instruments
+Record precise caliper and spectrophotometer readings for the batch of Burley leaf lot 4721, note any out-of-tolerance thickness or colour delta E, attach the instrument serial numbers and sign off before the end of shift today.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NET
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Sample materials or products for testing
+Select twenty random leaves from curing room B, record leaf ID, position and apparent colour stage, seal…
Sample materials or products for testing
+Select twenty random leaves from curing room B, record leaf ID, position and apparent colour stage, seal samples in labelled bags and log chain of custody so the lab receives them by 14:00 for moisture and colourimetry analysis.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft SharePointjob descriptionsO*NET
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Make1
Fabricate or install parts as needed
+Fabricate and fit the replacement guide plate for the cutter on line 3 using the shop drawing, file the edges…
Fabricate or install parts as needed
+Fabricate and fit the replacement guide plate for the cutter on line 3 using the shop drawing, file the edges to remove burrs, install it during the 10:00 maintenance window and test one pouch run to confirm leaf alignment.
The tools that do the workAutodesk AutoCADjob descriptionsO*NET
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Analysing2
Analyze test data and determine results
+Compile the week’s moisture, tensile and colour uniformity test results for smokeless tobacco batch series…
Analyze test data and determine results
+Compile the week’s moisture, tensile and colour uniformity test results for smokeless tobacco batch series A1–A6, calculate mean, standard deviation and pass rate, then write the conclusion paragraph stating whether the series meets spec.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NET
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Test materials or products for defects or deviations
+Run defect tests on ten finished pouches from line 2 for seal integrity, foreign material and colour…
Test materials or products for defects or deviations
+Run defect tests on ten finished pouches from line 2 for seal integrity, foreign material and colour variance, document failures with photos and measured values, tag the failed lot and notify production and quality by 16:00.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Outlookjob descriptionsO*NET
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The daily work16
Mark items with details, such as grade or acceptance-rejection status.
+Mark each inspected leaf bundle with grade A, B or Reject after assessing colour cure and moisture, note the…
Mark items with details, such as grade or acceptance-rejection status.
+Mark each inspected leaf bundle with grade A, B or Reject after assessing colour cure and moisture, note the defect code and inspector initials, and update the batch log so downstream packing skips rejected bundles.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelO*NET
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Notify supervisors or other personnel of production problems.
+Tell shift supervisor Maria and production lead Omar that we have a 15% reject rate on the east curing room,…
Notify supervisors or other personnel of production problems.
+Tell shift supervisor Maria and production lead Omar that we have a 15% reject rate on the east curing room, attach three photos and the sample list, request a stop on lines 2 and 3 until root cause is investigated.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft OutlookO*NET
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Position products, components, or parts for testing.
+Place sample pouches on the test tray in sequence by lot number, align leaves flat with stems removed, record…
Position products, components, or parts for testing.
+Place sample pouches on the test tray in sequence by lot number, align leaves flat with stems removed, record tray positions and sample IDs before running the colour cure and moisture readings.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft VisioO*NET
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Remove defects, such as chips, burrs, or lap corroded or pitted surfaces.
+Remove chips and loose debris from each tobacco stem and trim burrs from product edges, record each corrected…
Remove defects, such as chips, burrs, or lap corroded or pitted surfaces.
+Remove chips and loose debris from each tobacco stem and trim burrs from product edges, record each corrected unit with defect code and reclassify its acceptance status on the inspection sheet.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft SharePointO*NET
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Stack or arrange tested products for further processing, shipping, or packaging.
+Stack accepted bundles by lot and label pallet with lot number, destination and inspection date, move…
Stack or arrange tested products for further processing, shipping, or packaging.
+Stack accepted bundles by lot and label pallet with lot number, destination and inspection date, move rejected bundles to quarantine area and update the shipment queue so packing skips quarantined lots.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelO*NET
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Check arriving materials to ensure that they match purchase orders, submitting discrepancy reports as necessary.
+Verify incoming tobacco sacks against PO 4721, check cure colour and weight tolerances, file a discrepancy…
Check arriving materials to ensure that they match purchase orders, submitting discrepancy reports as necessary.
+Verify incoming tobacco sacks against PO 4721, check cure colour and weight tolerances, file a discrepancy report for any mismatches and notify purchasing to hold payment until vendor response.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft AccessO*NET
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Administer tests to assess whether engineers or operators are qualified to use equipment.
+Administer the hands-on competency test for Javier and Meena on the continuous dryer and leaf feeder today,…
Administer tests to assess whether engineers or operators are qualified to use equipment.
+Administer the hands-on competency test for Javier and Meena on the continuous dryer and leaf feeder today, record their pass/fail on instrument setup, sample extraction, and colour cure assessment, and file the signed results with training records.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft SharePointO*NET
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Compute usable amounts of items in shipments.
+Count delivered bale units on the south dock, record usable weight after trimming and moisture adjustment for…
Compute usable amounts of items in shipments.
+Count delivered bale units on the south dock, record usable weight after trimming and moisture adjustment for shipment 4837, and produce a single-sheet tally showing usable kilograms per lot for purchasing to approve.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft SharePointO*NET
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Compute defect percentages or averages, using formulas and calculators.
+Calculate defect percentages for the last 10 production lots, using rejected pieces over inspected pieces,…
Compute defect percentages or averages, using formulas and calculators.
+Calculate defect percentages for the last 10 production lots, using rejected pieces over inspected pieces, report the lot averages and overall mean defect rate for the weekly quality review.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelO*NET
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Inspect nonagricultural raw materials or processed parts
+Inspect the incoming packaging film rolls and metal spacers from vendor K-Delta, note any surface…
Inspect nonagricultural raw materials or processed parts
+Inspect the incoming packaging film rolls and metal spacers from vendor K-Delta, note any surface contamination, dimensional out-of-spec, or tears, photograph defects and submit a nonconformance report to Procurement.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft OfficeMicrosoft SharePointjob descriptions
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Sort materials or products based on quality standards
+Sort the cured leaf lots on the north bench into market, reprocess, and reject piles according to grade and…
Sort materials or products based on quality standards
+Sort the cured leaf lots on the north bench into market, reprocess, and reject piles according to grade and colour thresholds, tag each pile with lot number and destination, and notify Production lead before noon.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptions
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Provide safety information to team members
+Prepare and send the brief safety memo to the shift crews about silica dust controls and safe machine…
Provide safety information to team members
+Prepare and send the brief safety memo to the shift crews about silica dust controls and safe machine lockout, include the new respirator steps, required PPE for curing room, and ask supervisors to confirm toolbox talk completion.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointjob descriptions
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Analyse colour and condition of tobacco leaves
+Compare sample trays of cured leaves from barn B3 and B4, record hue shifts and spotting against the company…
Analyse colour and condition of tobacco leaves
+Compare sample trays of cured leaves from barn B3 and B4, record hue shifts and spotting against the company colour chart, note any brittle edges or mould, then produce a short defect log and average colour score for today’s lot.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelESCO
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Select leaves without visible defects
+Walk the sorting line and pick out whole leaves with no tears, bruises, insect holes or dark streaks, mark…
Select leaves without visible defects
+Walk the sorting line and pick out whole leaves with no tears, bruises, insect holes or dark streaks, mark their batch numbers, set aside a clean pile for wrapper grading and log rejected counts with reasons.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft SharePointESCO
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Take into account colour variations, tears, tar spots, tight grain, and sizes
+Inspect each crate, score leaves for colour variation, tar spots, tears, grain tightness and size, weight the…
Take into account colour variations, tears, tar spots, tight grain, and sizes
+Inspect each crate, score leaves for colour variation, tar spots, tears, grain tightness and size, weight the criteria to produce a composite grade for the crate, and flag any crates that fail minimum grade for reprocessing.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft AccessESCO
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Fold wrapper leaves into bundles for stripping
+Take selected wrapper leaves, fold each to the standard bundle size with veins aligned, tie bundles of…
Fold wrapper leaves into bundles for stripping
+Take selected wrapper leaves, fold each to the standard bundle size with veins aligned, tie bundles of twenty, label with supplier and date, and move them to stripping station A with a handover note for the stripper.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft OutlookESCO
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Says who?
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Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses
Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses