What does a Butcher do?

A Butcher makes it possible for customers to purchase beef, pork, lamb, poultry and other foods that they need to prepare meals at home. By providing good customer service and using their expertise to answer questions from customers, they generate revenue for their employers and encourage repeat business and word-of-mouth advertising. The Butcher job description also may include requirements around handling food safety and sanitation, inventory control and loss prevention to reduce spoilage-related waste.

Butcher skills and qualifications

Successful butchers possess certain skills that enable them to complete their assigned duties proficiently. Some qualifications that you may wish to specify in your Butcher job description include:

• Ability to use knives, meat slicers, meat grinders, sausage fillers, meat saws, knife sharpeners, scales and other tools and equipment
• Knowledge of common cuts of meat and USDA meat quality grading systems
• Ability to move heavy boxes and cuts of meat from one location to another
• Interpersonal skills to make a good impression on customers
• Observational skills to conduct inspections
• Ability to remain upright and mobile throughout most of a shift
• Computer skills to utilize inventory control and point-of-sales software systems
• Familiarity with food handling and sanitation standards and best practices

Butcher experience requirements

Most Butchers receive on-the-job training, so a new employee may be able to succeed at their assigned tasks without any previous work experience. However, you may wish to list experience requirements in your job description of a Butcher in some cases. For example, a Butcher who will need to begin working independently soon after hiring due to staffing shortages may benefit from having one or more years of experience. New hires who will supervise other employees in the meat department and those who will need to prepare specialty meat cuts may also benefit from having previously worked as a Butcher.

Butcher education and training requirements

Generally, there are no formal education requirements for a Butcher. Some states do require Butchers to earn safe food handling certification before working independently by completing a training course through an approved provider, such as ServSafe or the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA). While you can have your new hire obtain this certification during on-the-job training, you may wish to specify prior certification as a mandatory or preferred qualification in your Butcher job description.

Specialty shops and large grocery stores may prefer to hire candidates who hold professional certifications. The American Meat Science Association (AMSA) offers a few relevant credentials, including Food Safety & Science Certification, Meat Evaluation Certification and Culinary Meat Selection & Cookery Certification. To receive any of these credentials, a Butcher must pass a written examination.

Job description samples for similar positions

If the job description of a Butcher isn’t exactly what you need, read the descriptions for these related job titles:

• Deli Clerk
• Grocery Clerk
• Seafood Clerk