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What does an inventory technician do?

Updated January 8, 2025
7 min read

Typically working in retail warehouses and establishments, an inventory technician is in charge of maintaining the efficiency of inventory tools and equipment. They usually set guidelines, manage inventory records, operate machines and equipment, troubleshoot problems, and conduct regular maintenance checks. There are also instances where they may produce progress reports and conduct research and analysis. Moreover, an inventory technician must provide technical support to employees and maintain an active communication line for a smooth and safe workflow.

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Inventory technician responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real inventory technician resumes:

  • Process outgoing shipments via FedEx.
  • Perform all duties per ISO regulations.
  • Process RMA returns, repairs and transfers.
  • Maintain cleanliness of patient rooms and nurses station.
  • Experience working in FDA regulate environments / clean rooms.
  • Maintain all paperwork in accordance with ISO 9002 and QS 9000 procedures.
  • Perform analysis of supply data, supply information flow and logistics workload processes.
  • Interact with USPS and FEDEX to coordinate shipping and tracking of sell merchandise.
  • Submit fail hardware for quick RMA returns adding additional value to organization by reducing need for higher stock levels in warehouse.
  • Provide technical support of logistics and electronic tracking system.
  • Maintain warehouse and storerooms around hospital for cleanliness and accuracy.
  • Update warehouse items to include reorganizing, updating shelving units, restructuring pallets with categorizing supplies and equipment.
  • Distribute materials to proper hospital units base on daily inventories in PYXIS units.
  • Inventory, restock and troubleshot Pyxis machines while maintaining proper supplies for each specialty hospital unit accordingly
  • Utilize PeopleSoft to issue products, process orders, find items, and other functions appropriate to the position.

Inventory technician skills and personality traits

We calculated that 17% of Inventory Technicians are proficient in Customer Service, Patient Care, and Patients. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Customer-service skills, and Detail oriented.

We break down the percentage of Inventory Technicians that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Customer Service, 17%

    Maintained open lines of communication both within the inventory control department and with Customer Service/Planning/Analyzer Support.

  • Patient Care, 11%

    Trained as Patient Care Technicians when schedule permitted.

  • Patients, 8%

    Inventoried supplies when receipt from the delivery truck and double checked items to be delivered to patients.

  • Management System, 6%

    Utilized inventory management system to reconcile and report production quantities, maintain records, requisition packaging materials.

  • Inventory Control, 5%

    Manage all aspects of shipping/receiving and inventory control resulting in successful fulfillment of customer equipment requirement schedules utilizing MAS software.

  • Shipping Receiving, 5%

    Use data from shipping receiving, picking, and stocking to analyze cause of inventory discrepancies.

"customer service," "patient care," and "patients" are among the most common skills that inventory technicians use at work. You can find even more inventory technician responsibilities below, including:

Communication skills. One of the key soft skills for an inventory technician to have is communication skills. You can see how this relates to what inventory technicians do because "production, planning, and expediting clerks are frequently in contact with suppliers, vendors, and production managers and need to communicate the firm’s scheduling needs effectively." Additionally, an inventory technician resume shows how inventory technicians use communication skills: "managed msds for pd conducted follow-up communications to ensure consistency in meeting deadlines. "

Customer-service skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling inventory technician duties is customer-service skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "stock clerks sometimes interact with customers in retail stores and may have to get the item the customer is looking for from the storeroom." According to an inventory technician resume, here's how inventory technicians can utilize customer-service skills in their job responsibilities: "coordinated scheduling for refurbishment and customer orders. "

Detail oriented. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of inventory technicians is detail oriented. This skill is critical to many everyday inventory technician duties, as "material and product inspecting clerks check items for defects, some of which are small and difficult to spot." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "employed computer management skills on a daily basis kept detailed logs of store inventory managed the cash register"

Math skills. inventory technician responsibilities often require "math skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "some material recording clerks use math to calculate shipping costs or take measurements." This resume example shows what inventory technicians do with math skills on a typical day: "draw upon higher math skills in determination of material for moderate to difficult plans/layouts. "

All inventory technician skills

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Compare different inventory technicians

Inventory technician vs. Warehouse clerk

A warehouse clerk is an employee responsible for the process of ordered goods while keeping the warehouse well-organized and clean. Warehouse clerks accept company products' deliveries, inspect them for any damages, and store them accordingly in the warehouse. Companies require their warehouse clerks to have many skills, such as an operating forklift or other machinery to transport large and heavy goods. Warehouse clerks must also possess abilities like knowledge in Warehouse Management Software programs and detailed-oriented capable of noticing small errors in orders.

We looked at the average inventory technician salary and compared it with the wages of a warehouse clerk. Generally speaking, warehouse clerks are paid $4,635 lower than inventory technicians per year.While the two careers have a salary gap, they share some of the same responsibilities. Employees in both inventory technician and warehouse clerk positions are skilled in customer service, patients, and shipping receiving.

There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, inventory technician responsibilities require skills like "patient care," "management system," "inventory control," and "lawson." Meanwhile a typical warehouse clerk has skills in areas such as "work ethic," "strong work ethic," "pallets," and "hand tools." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.

Warehouse clerks tend to make the most money working in the transportation industry, where they earn an average salary of $32,595. In contrast, inventory technicians make the biggest average salary, $37,213, in the manufacturing industry.The education levels that warehouse clerks earn slightly differ from inventory technicians. In particular, warehouse clerks are 2.2% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than an inventory technician. Additionally, they're 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Inventory technician vs. 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. They also inspect the efficiency and performance of warehouse tools and equipment, especially on schedule for regular maintenance, and call for repairs as needed.

A career as a warehouse coordinator brings a lower average salary when compared to the average annual salary of an inventory technician. In fact, warehouse coordinators salary is $2,104 lower than the salary of inventory technicians per year.While the salary may differ for these jobs, they share a few skills needed to perform their duties. Based on resume data, both inventory technicians and warehouse coordinators have skills such as "customer service," "management system," and "inventory control. "

Each career also uses different skills, according to real inventory technician resumes. While inventory technician responsibilities can utilize skills like "patient care," "patients," "lawson," and "customer satisfaction," warehouse coordinators use skills like "math," "warehouse functions," "warehouse operations," and "wms."

On average, warehouse coordinators earn a lower salary than inventory technicians. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, warehouse coordinators earn the most pay in the health care industry with an average salary of $36,509. Whereas inventory technicians have higher pay in the manufacturing industry, with an average salary of $37,213.warehouse coordinators earn similar levels of education than inventory technicians in general. They're 0.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Inventory technician vs. Warehouse worker

Warehouse workers are employees assigned to handle tasks inside the company's warehouse. They are in charge of managing the entry and exit of goods inside the warehouse, ensure that the inventory is up-to-date, and check the quality of the goods that are stored. Warehouse workers receive the items that are delivered to the warehouse, ensure that the items are complete using the delivery list, and keep the items safe in the designated area in the warehouse. They also clear any items that will exit the warehouse by ensuring that only the items that are on the list will be removed from the warehouse, and checking if these items are safely packed before leaving.

An average warehouse worker eans a lower salary compared to the average salary of inventory technicians. The difference in salaries amounts to warehouse workers earning a $3,189 lower average salary than inventory technicians.inventory technicians and warehouse workers both have job responsibilities that require similar skill sets. These similarities include skills such as "customer service," "inventory control," and "warehouse inventory," but they differ when it comes to other required skills.

Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from inventory technician resumes include skills like "patient care," "patients," "management system," and "shipping receiving," whereas a warehouse worker is more likely to list skills in "pallets," "basic math," "electric pallet jack," and "math. "

Warehouse workers make a very good living in the manufacturing industry with an average annual salary of $34,731. On the other hand, inventory technicians are paid the highest salary in the manufacturing industry, with average annual pay of $37,213.When it comes to education, warehouse workers tend to earn similar degree levels compared to inventory technicians. In fact, they're 2.9% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.2% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Inventory technician vs. Storekeeper

Storekeepers are skilled professionals who are responsible for managing all the operations of a storeroom of an organization. These storekeepers are required to ensure that storeroom personnel under their supervision are following the general rules and regulations of the organization while maintaining an orderly and safe working environment. They are must maintain and revamp the inventory management system while preparing reports for their superiors. Storekeepers must also respond to customer requests and provide customer service with other divisions of the materials management department.

Storekeepers tend to earn a lower pay than inventory technicians by an average of $3,870 per year.According to resumes from inventory technicians and storekeepers, some of the skills necessary to complete the responsibilities of each role are similar. These skills include "customer service," "inventory control," and "shipping receiving. "

Even though a few skill sets overlap between inventory technicians and storekeepers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, an inventory technician might have more use for skills like "patient care," "patients," "management system," and "lawson." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of storekeepers require skills like "pallets," "cleanliness," "pallet jack," and "safety regulations. "

In general, storekeepers earn the most working in the government industry, with an average salary of $35,425. The highest-paying industry for an inventory technician is the manufacturing industry.In general, storekeepers hold similar degree levels compared to inventory technicians. Storekeepers are 0.2% less likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.0% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of inventory technician

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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