How to hire an inventory specialist

How to hire an inventory specialist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step inventory specialist hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an inventory specialist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new inventory specialist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an inventory specialist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the inventory specialist you need to hire. Certain inventory specialist roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect inventory specialist also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list shows salaries for various types of inventory specialists.

   Type of Inventory Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Inventory Specialist	Material recording clerks track product information in order to keep businesses and supply chains on schedule. They ensure proper scheduling, recordkeeping, and inventory control.	$12-23
   Warehouse Coordinator	A warehouse coordinator is responsible for monitoring the supply and distribution operations of a warehouse, loading and unloading merchandise from the delivery trucks, and storing items appropriately on the facility. Warehouse coordinators assist in packing and labeling items, pulling out products from delivery, and ensuring the correct quantity and quality of the items before release... Show more	$12-19
   Inventory Control Clerk	An inventory control clerk is responsible for managing the stock inventory, recording incoming and outgoing deliveries, and inspecting proper labeling before moving the products to the storage areas. Inventory control clerks resolve inventory discrepancies, checking and reviewing product details and reports from the warehouse software database... Show more	$13-20

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Sales Floor
   • Reservations
   • Pallet Jack
   • Safety Standards
   • Strong Analytical
   • Basic Math
   • Math
   • Develop Team
   • Store Merchandise
   • Inventory Management
   • Inventory Control
   • Cycle Counts
   • Purchase Orders

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage assign commodities by communicating MRP changes to the suppliers, minimizing obsolete inventory while achieving the optimum inventory targets.
   • Manage JDE ERP module for service department of finish goods for sale and field support.
   • Achieve establish average per hour (APH) counting goals while ensuring accuracy and integrity of the data collect.
   • Used WIS scanners to scan stock and download scanner information to computer.
   • Strategize to balance demand and delivery schedules due to expiration date of perishables.
   • Pick and pack any shipments for the customer and ship them through WMS application.

   More inventory specialist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your inventory specialist job description helps attract top candidates to the position. An inventory specialist salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for an inventory specialist in Florida may be lower than in Massachusetts, and an entry-level inventory specialist usually earns less than a senior-level inventory specialist. Additionally, an inventory specialist with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average inventory specialist salary

   $35,752yearly

   $17.19 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level inventory specialist salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 29, 2025

   Average inventory specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$49,724	$24
   2	New York	$45,169	$22
   3	Maine	$43,867	$21
   4	Pennsylvania	$42,443	$20
   5	California	$40,999	$20
   6	Washington	$38,434	$18
   7	Virginia	$38,091	$18
   8	Maryland	$37,409	$18
   9	District of Columbia	$37,182	$18
   10	Minnesota	$36,484	$18
   11	Wisconsin	$36,397	$18
   12	Illinois	$36,231	$17
   13	Arizona	$36,034	$17
   14	Oregon	$35,386	$17
   15	Nevada	$35,375	$17
   16	Indiana	$35,223	$17
   17	Ohio	$34,652	$17
   18	Colorado	$34,641	$17
   19	Tennessee	$34,258	$16
   20	Georgia	$34,109	$16

   Average inventory specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Ensign Energy	$57,299	$27.55
   2	Google	$54,156	$26.04	1
   3	Baker Hughes	$51,541	$24.78	2
   4	Alere	$48,028	$23.09
   5	Dana-Farber Cancer Institute	$44,762	$21.52
   6	Dairy Farmers of America	$43,393	$20.86	42
   7	Massachusetts General Hospital	$43,184	$20.76
   8	Philips	$43,122	$20.73	1
   9	Univision Communications	$43,031	$20.69
   10	Boston Medical Center	$42,958	$20.65	2
   11	Raytheon Technologies	$41,950	$20.17	8
   12	Solar.com	$41,779	$20.09	3
   13	Mars	$41,777	$20.09	1
   14	CSC Holdings LLC	$41,317	$19.86
   15	Genentech	$40,988	$19.71
   16	Boardwalk Pipeline Partners	$40,917	$19.67
   17	Harrison Walker & Harper	$40,660	$19.55
   18	Nestlé	$40,560	$19.50	3
   19	Danaher	$40,212	$19.33	7
   20	Boeing	$40,117	$19.29	15

4. Writing an inventory specialist job description

   A job description for an inventory specialist role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's an inventory specialist job description:

   Inventory specialist job description example

   Job Title
   Senior Glassware Inventory Specialist
   Location(s)
   Customer Site - CA, San Diego
   Enhance the Customer Experience
   Pick up and deliver glassware, biologically contaminated reusable glassware, and plastic ware. Observe the established procedures for the handling and transporting of glassware and contaminated items.Undertake specialist cleaning tasks, e.g. autoclaving, ultrasonic cleaning, and potential for pipette processing as part of an agreed periodic routine Operate autoclaves for decontamination or sanitization. Operate glassware washers, dry heat sterilizers, ultrasonic baths, and incubators. Maintain temperature chart recorders / equipment forms and use proper documentation.Perform routine inspections/checks on glass wash and autoclave equipment Prepare items for sanitization including glassware, caps and related articles, employing procedural steps during the process. Inspect glassware for cleanliness and structural defects. Routinely checks inventory of glassware, notifying Lead of deficiencies. Provide housekeeping of glassware processing areas. Follow all procedures in performing all aspects of glassware processing.
   Perform monthly de-scale and challenging of biological indicators. Use Good Documentation Practices (GDP) for all paperwork. Observe all safety precautions and is proactive in raising safety concerns. Complete all required trainings in a timely manner.This role will work closely with other teams to seamlessly deliver lab support services.Will be required to cross-train and back-up other lab support areas as needed.
   
   Basic Qualifications:
   1-3 years of laboratory experience required.Previous experience in glass wash and/or utilizing autoclaves, ultrasonic baths, incubators, and dry heat sterilizers.High School Diploma or GED.
   Ability to follow oral and written directions.Demonstrates appropriate use of relevant equipment after training.
   Preferred Qualifications:
   2-4 years of laboratory experience including glass wash.
   
   Physical Demands
   Ability to sit or stand 2-3 hours in laboratory areas.Walk 2-3 hours within a facility and walk outside to multiple buildings on campus.Reach above/below the shoulder, bend at the knees and waist.Lift up to 25 lbs.Office work activities, including keyboard, with fingers/hands/arms up to 4 hours.Work around moving laboratory equipment and machinery.Use of personal protective equipment in laboratory.Work with biohazards such as blood borne pathogens.
   
   Working Environment
   Must be able to work in a laboratory, controlled environments requiring personal protective equipment.Job pace may be fast and job completion demands may be high.Employee maybe required to manage hazardous wastes in compliance with company procedures & State/Federal/Local hazardous waste regulations. Duties may include: Identifying, handling, generating, accumulating, storing, labeling.Ensure safety, security, and the environment in all aspect of the daily activities, and any potential safety hazards are addressed and corrected immediately.Understand ergonomic relationship between people, equipment and working environment.
   
   Benefits to working for PerkinElmer: Backed by an 80-year history rich in innovation, PerkinElmer is a long-time leader and pioneer in the scientific community. We hire talented, committed and driven people and strive to create a work environment that brings out the entrepreneur in all of us. Benefit packages include: Medical, Dental and Vision; Health Savings Accounts, Flexible Spending Accounts, Health and Wellness Programs and Incentives; Employer Matching 401(k); Tuition Reimbursement; Professional Development; Maternity and Paternity Leave; Paid Holidays and Personal Time Off; Life and Disability Insurance; and Work/Life Balance.
   PerkinElmer is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability status, age, or veteran status or any other characteristics protected by applicable law. PerkinElmer is committed to a culturally diverse workforce.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find inventory specialists for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any inventory specialists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level inventory specialists with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your inventory specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit inventory specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with inventory specialist candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new inventory specialist

   Once you've found the inventory specialist candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new inventory specialist first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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