He's still a low-ranking member, so he can't voice his opinions in meetings.
下っ端の社員はいつも雑用を押し付けられる。
The grunt workers always get stuck with the odd jobs.
noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'
Describes work, tasks, or positions that are trivial, low-status, or beneath someone's dignity. Often used with nouns like 仕事, 役目, or 地位.
下っ端の仕事ばかり任されて、やりがいを感じない。
I'm only given petty tasks and don't feel any sense of fulfillment.
彼は下っ端の役人に過ぎない。
He's nothing more than a lowly official.
Standard kanji spelling.
Alternate spelling using kana for the second character; less common but still encountered.
Compound of 下 (した, 'below') + 端 (は, 'edge, tip'), with the っ inserted for euphony. The literal meaning is 'the lower end,' which extended to refer to a person of low rank.