How to hire a material handling specialist

How to hire a material handling specialist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step material handling 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 material handling specialist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new material handling specialist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your material handling 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 material handling 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?

   Yes

   No

   A material handling specialist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, material handling specialists from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of material handling specialists and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Material Handling Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Material Handling Specialist	Hand laborers and material movers manually move freight, stock, or other materials. Others feed or remove material to and from machines, clean vehicles, pick up unwanted household goods, and pack materials for moving.	$14-22
   Warehouse Employee	A warehouse employee is responsible for assisting high-level operations of the warehouse or distribution centers, organizing merchandise inventory, packing and labeling products, operating warehouse tools and equipment, and processing shipment orders efficiently and accurately. Warehouse employees maintain the cleanliness and orderliness of the facilities to avoid potential hazards and delay during operations... Show more	$12-19
   Warehouse Technician	A warehouse technician is responsible for monitoring the incoming and outgoing goods and services in the warehouse or distribution centers. Warehouse technicians verify shipment details, assist with packaging items, move merchandise to storage areas, inspect the quality of items for release, and escalate defective products for immediate replacement... Show more	$13-20

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Logistics
   • Safety Procedures
   • Safety Regulations
   • Data Entry
   • Shipping Receiving
   • Inventory Control
   • Pallet Jack
   • Purchase Orders
   • Customer Orders
   • Materials Handling
   • Inventory Management
   • Unload Materials
   • Cycle Counts
   • WMS

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Experience in managing JIT material handling, shipping, rail dock, truck dock and metal assembly areas.
   • Develop and maintain experience in logistics field for future advancement.
   • Direct inbound or outbound logistics operations, such as transportation or warehouse activities, safety performance, or logistics quality management.
   • Configure local network PC user profiles and deploy computers, printers, and scanners.
   • Order printing, MRP processes, will-calls, customer service.
   • Implement LTL and FTL procedures; create guidelines for account managers to determine mode of transport.

   More material handling specialist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your material handling specialist job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A material handling specialist salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, material handling specialists' average salary in new mexico is 42% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level material handling specialists earn 36% less than senior-level material handling specialists.
   • Certifications. A material handling specialist with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a material handling specialist's salary.

   Average material handling specialist salary

   $37,786yearly

   $18.17 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level material handling specialist salary

   $30,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average material handling specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$49,157	$24
   2	Pennsylvania	$43,439	$21
   3	Washington	$41,838	$20
   4	Colorado	$41,109	$20
   5	Wisconsin	$40,632	$20
   6	New Jersey	$40,421	$19
   7	Delaware	$39,634	$19
   8	South Carolina	$38,241	$18
   9	California	$38,227	$18
   10	Michigan	$38,148	$18
   11	Missouri	$37,455	$18
   12	Florida	$37,237	$18
   13	Nevada	$36,325	$17
   14	Tennessee	$36,254	$17
   15	Georgia	$35,496	$17
   16	Texas	$34,768	$17
   17	Kentucky	$34,069	$16

   Average material handling specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	University of Delaware	$41,194	$19.80
   2	Twin City Fan Companies	$40,737	$19.59	1
   3	University of Washington	$40,024	$19.24
   4	McKesson	$38,939	$18.72	10
   5	Indiana Packers	$38,700	$18.61
   6	Boeing	$38,331	$18.43	14
   7	Rehrig Pacific	$37,787	$18.17
   8	U.S. Venture	$37,545	$18.05	68
   9	Spec's	$37,246	$17.91
   10	Komatsu America Corp.	$37,160	$17.87	1
   11	JBS USA	$37,102	$17.84	6
   12	DXP Enterprises	$36,962	$17.77	3
   13	Cashman Equipment	$36,889	$17.74
   14	Savage	$36,436	$17.52	7
   15	NuWest Group	$36,356	$17.48
   16	Csl	$36,337	$17.47
   17	Enviva	$36,336	$17.47
   18	The Dump Furniture Outlet	$36,293	$17.45
   19	Johnson Electric	$36,291	$17.45
   20	Industrial Electric	$36,242	$17.42

4. Writing a material handling specialist job description

   A job description for a material handling 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 a material handling specialist job description:

   Material handling specialist job description example

   Perform related transportation tasks in support of the Manufacturing Organization.It includes but is not limited to intra-plant and offsite pick-up and delivery of company and government property.Make pickups and deliveries to vendors, depots, freight terminals, warehouses as dispatched.Load and cooperated with others in loading/unloading vehicle.Responsible for checking load for safety and correctness of procedure before movement.Check pickup and deliveries against shipping papers and handle necessary paperwork.
   
   Perform manual and clerical tasks involving receiving, storing, dispersing of material, tools, and work in process (WIP) and perform systems transactions.
   
   Move and stage materials and work orders within manufacturing Test and Assembly operations and inform personnel of known priorities.
   
   Initiate action to ensure proper maintenance of company vehicle is carried out and maintain cleanliness of assigned vehicle.
   
   May operate lift trucks as required.May assist Shipping Specialist and assist Production personnel in setup or maintenance of production equipment.
   Required Education, Experience, & Skills
   High School diploma or equivalent.ESD and Material handling certifications.Valid California Driver's license required.Fork lift certification preferred.
   
   Preferred Education, Experience, & Skills
   College Associates degree preferred.Materials, warehousing, and parts handling certification preferred.Two years of related Material handling experience and two years of transportation experience preferred.
   
   About BAE Systems Electronic Systems
   BAE Systems, Inc. is the U.S. subsidiary of BAE Systems plc, an international defense, aerospace and security company which delivers a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology solutions and customer support services. Improving the future and protecting lives is an ambitious mission, but it's what we do at BAE Systems. Working here means using your passion and ingenuity where it counts - defending national security with breakthrough technology, superior products, and intelligence solutions. As you develop the latest technology and defend national security, you will continually hone your skills on a team-making a big impact on a global scale. At BAE Systems, you'll find a rewarding career that truly makes a difference. Electronic Systems (ES) is the global innovator behind BAE Systems' game-changing defense and commercial electronics. Exploiting every electron, we push the limits of what is possible, giving our customers the edge and our employees opportunities to change the world. Our products and capabilities can be found everywhere - from the depths of the ocean to the far reaches of space. At our core are more than 14,000 highly talented Electronic Systems employees with the brightest minds in the industry, we make an impact - for our customers and the communities we serve.
   
   Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:
   At BAE Systems, we work hard every day to nurture an inclusive culture where employees are valued and feel like they belong. We are conscious of the need for all employees to see themselves reflected at every level of the company and know that in order to unlock the full potential of our workforce, everyone must feel confident being their best, most sincere self and be equipped to thrive. We provide impactful professional development experiences to our employees and invest in social impact partnerships to uplift communities and drive purposeful change. Here you will find significant opportunities to do meaningful work in an environment intentionally designed to be one where you will learn, grow and belong.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find material handling 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 material handling specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit material handling specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit material handling specialists, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 material handling specialist

   Once you've selected the best material handling specialist candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is 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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