Work that is menial and often tedious. Get one of those interns to do this grunt work—that's what they're here for!
grunt work
Fig. work that is menial and thankless. During the summer, I earned money doing grunt work.I did all of the grunt work on the project, but my boss got all of the credit.
grunt work
and shit work
n. hard, menial labor; tedious work. (Work that a lesser person ought to be doing.) Who is supposed to do the grunt work around here? Not me! Why am I always doing the shit work?