How to hire a logistics specialist

How to hire a logistics specialist, step by step

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

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

What does a logistics specialist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your logistics specialist job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a logistics specialist for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

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   Hiring the perfect logistics 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 logistics specialists.

   Type of Logistics Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Logistics Specialist	Logisticians analyze and coordinate an organization’s supply chain—the system that moves a product from supplier to consumer. They manage the entire life cycle of a product, which includes how a product is acquired, distributed, allocated, and delivered.	$13-27
   Demand Planner	A demand planner specializes in conducting research and analysis to develop forecast models that will help determine a supply chain's demands. They are also responsible for monitoring the inventory of products, maintaining knowledge and awareness on the latest trends, producing progress reports and presentations, establishing demand plans, and detecting any changes in the forecast, reporting them to management right away... Show more	$29-52
   Supply Planner	A supply planner is primarily in charge of maintaining a company's inventory of supplies, ensuring all are sufficient and efficient. Their responsibilities revolve around monitoring and counting the inventory, maintaining accurate records, reviewing receipts and other documentation, anticipating product demands, and liaising with vendors and suppliers... Show more	$23-48

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Shipping Receiving
   • Inventory Control
   • Logistics Support
   • Management System
   • Cycle Counts
   • Customer Orders
   • Purchase Orders
   • Inventory Management
   • Pallet Jack
   • DOD
   • ERP
   • Warehouse Operations
   • Forwarders

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and execute the GSA fleet maintenance program.
   • Manage Phase-In/Phase-Out (NPI) to minimize obsolete material.
   • Manage the DIFM program to ensure assets are return and process in accordance with directives.
   • Experience decision-maker in high-pressure environments; efficiently manage vital decision points autonomously to ensure mission accomplishment in multiple combat deployments.
   • Produce technical procedures, guidelines, and supply support information to be include in ILS documentation.
   • Enter all necessary transactions in MRP system, perform cycle counts, and resolve inventory discrepancies.

   More logistics specialist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the logistics specialist job description is a good way to get more applicants. A logistics specialist salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a logistics specialist in Wyoming may be lower than in Maryland, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level logistics specialist. Additionally, a logistics specialist with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average logistics specialist salary

   $41,537yearly

   $19.97 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level logistics specialist salary

   $29,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average logistics specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$55,069	$26
   2	California	$54,513	$26
   3	Pennsylvania	$48,155	$23
   4	District of Columbia	$46,804	$23
   5	New York	$45,541	$22
   6	Connecticut	$44,101	$21
   7	Texas	$43,827	$21
   8	Utah	$42,736	$21
   9	Arizona	$41,334	$20
   10	Colorado	$41,081	$20
   11	Ohio	$40,758	$20
   12	Michigan	$40,377	$19
   13	Wisconsin	$38,766	$19
   14	Alabama	$38,560	$19
   15	Kansas	$38,525	$19
   16	Nebraska	$37,975	$18
   17	Georgia	$37,776	$18
   18	Florida	$37,752	$18
   19	Minnesota	$36,916	$18
   20	Illinois	$35,956	$17

   Average logistics specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	GCP Applied Technologies	$87,048	$41.85
   2	Microsoft	$84,077	$40.42	4
   3	Southern California Edison	$78,842	$37.90	5
   4	IBM	$74,767	$35.95	12
   5	Pacifi	$72,196	$34.71	2
   6	Brookfield Properties	$68,761	$33.06	4
   7	ABB	$68,595	$32.98	6
   8	Fusion Technology	$67,118	$32.27
   9	McKinsey & Company Inc	$66,500	$31.97
   10	Google	$65,270	$31.38	10
   11	World Fuel Services	$64,283	$30.91
   12	Baker Hughes	$63,143	$30.36
   13	Pamten Inc	$61,645	$29.64
   14	Halliburton	$61,614	$29.62
   15	Burke County Schools	$60,466	$29.07
   16	Cummins	$59,950	$28.82
   17	Genentech	$59,881	$28.79
   18	Zoetis	$58,419	$28.09	7
   19	Erlanger Health System	$57,316	$27.56	2
   20	FUJIFILM Medical Systems USA	$57,154	$27.48

4. Writing a logistics specialist job description

   A good logistics specialist job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a logistics specialist job description:

   Logistics specialist job description example

   About Us
   
   R+L Global Logistics is a world-class provider of high quality domestic and international logistics and supply chain services, with a reputation for offering the highest quality freight solutions and services to our customers. We have 14 offices across the country, with locations in Atlanta, Chicago, Cincinnati, Denver, Fort Myers, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Laredo, Los Angeles, Nashville, Newark, Ocala, Orlando and San Antonio allowing our logistics team to optimize the supply chain process for our customers.
   
   Why our employees love working at R+L Global Logistics
   

   • Values "I love working for a company that I am proud to represent based on its morals and people"Opportunities "It's exciting to play a part in building an organization knowing that as you succeed, more and more opportunities become available
   • People "While we are a larger company, I've still been able to form new friendships and relationships with the people around me"
   • Leadership "I love coming in each day and knowing that I my opinion matters to our leadership team
   • Exciting Benefits Including Vacation Properties "I love being able to go to Fort Myers Beach for a weekend getaway
     

   BENEFITS
   
   Company Vacation Properties, PTO, Sick Time, Paid Holidays, 401k, Medical, Dental, Vision, Life & Disability Insurance, Pet Insurance and Group Home & Auto Insurance
   
   R+L Global Logistics will provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants without regard to an applicant's race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other status protected by federal or state law. R+L Global Logistics will provide reasonable accommodations to allow an applicant to participate in the hiring process (e.g., accommodations for an assessment or job interview) if so requested. When completing this application, you may exclude information that would disclose or otherwise reference your race, religion, age, sex, genetic, veteran status, disability or any other status protected by federal or state law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find logistics specialists for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with logistics 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.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you 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 logistics specialist

   Once you have selected a candidate for the logistics specialist position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new logistics specialist. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

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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How much does it cost to hire a logistics specialist?