How to hire a materials specialist

How to hire a materials specialist, step by step

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

What does a materials specialist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The materials specialist hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a materials specialist to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a materials specialist that fits the bill.

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

   Type of Materials Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Materials 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.	$11-37
   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
   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

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Logistics
   • Data Entry
   • Purchase Orders
   • Inventory Control
   • Shipping Receiving
   • On-Time Delivery
   • Computer System
   • MRP
   • Cycle Counts
   • Hazardous Materials
   • Production Schedules
   • Hazmat
   • GMP

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage the receiving of all HAZMAT items and issuing those items out as needed by aircraft maintenance.
   • Utilize hand hold computerized RF or PC to accomplish daily order pulling of materials to be package and ship.
   • Manage ISO documentation for corporate purchasing.
   • Call vendors to expedite orders.
   • Enter data regarding transactiom movements in computer (AS400 system).
   • File all documentation and BOL's from shipments that have been receive.

   More materials specialist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the materials specialist job description is a good way to get more applicants. A materials 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 materials specialist in South Dakota may be lower than in Hawaii, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level materials specialist. Additionally, a materials specialist with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average materials specialist salary

   $44,143yearly

   $21.22 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level materials specialist salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average materials specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$71,903	$35
   2	Arizona	$67,182	$32
   3	Texas	$60,923	$29
   4	New York	$58,724	$28
   5	Pennsylvania	$58,507	$28
   6	Virginia	$51,016	$25
   7	Michigan	$49,892	$24
   8	Florida	$49,819	$24
   9	Indiana	$45,572	$22
   10	Oregon	$44,104	$21
   11	Missouri	$43,792	$21
   12	Wisconsin	$43,392	$21
   13	Massachusetts	$42,942	$21
   14	Colorado	$42,327	$20
   15	Kansas	$40,122	$19
   16	Alabama	$39,254	$19
   17	Illinois	$38,096	$18
   18	Nebraska	$35,189	$17

   Average materials specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Apple	$111,627	$53.67	1
   2	Intevac	$111,601	$53.65
   3	Superior Energy Services	$103,553	$49.79
   4	California Resources	$102,098	$49.09
   5	Amphenol	$89,107	$42.84	5
   6	FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies	$88,293	$42.45	3
   7	BP America Inc	$85,776	$41.24	1
   8	Amd	$81,928	$39.39	1
   9	Los Alamos National Laboratory	$77,308	$37.17	9
   10	Alliance Global Services	$72,524	$34.87
   11	City of Detroit	$72,517	$34.86
   12	Fluor Corporation	$70,571	$33.93	17
   13	Bechtel Corporation	$66,313	$31.88	13
   14	SABIC Innovative Plastics	$65,569	$31.52	1
   15	Lenovo	$64,636	$31.07	2
   16	General Electric	$63,584	$30.57	16
   17	Schlumberger	$61,629	$29.63	5
   18	Methodist Hospital for Surgery	$60,755	$29.21
   19	Softpath System	$60,647	$29.16
   20	Noblis	$59,925	$28.81

4. Writing a materials specialist job description

   A materials specialist job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a materials specialist job description:

   Materials specialist job description example

   Warehouse Materials Specialist (YAA200, XAA200)
   About The Position
   The Warehouse Materials Specialist is Supply Chain Operations role that is responsible for working with Ameren project teams, Business Segment stakeholders, and Ameren suppliers and contractors in the planning, coordination, and execution of materials and equipment orders that pass-through Ameren warehouses. The position provides leadership and direction to warehouse personnel and contractors.
   Key responsibilities include:
   Serve as main contact for storm restoration material needs (suppliers and Purchasing) and storm trailer site logistics management (accommodations, meals, etc.).
   Lead Requirements Management process by working with business lines to manage their material requests (MRs) for project and operational materials needs. This includes validating MR need by dates, ship to locations, schedule changes, cancellations and on-going material needs during construction, etc. Communicate to multiple stakeholders as needed.
   Serve as warehouse single point of contact for project materials.
   Manage project Bill of Material (BOM) status and material readiness. Communicate to Supply Chain and business lines as needed.
   Manage material return process and reporting.
   Responsible for Accounts Payable reconciliations requiring management intervention including receiving issues, quantity/quality issues, etc.
   Responsible for problem resolution requiring management intervention (vendor issues, material damage, freight claims, etc.)
   Conduct deficiency follow-up with Ameren stakeholders.
   Coordinate of job site deliveries for warehouse materials both for Ameren and supplier crews.
   Stocking storeroom material issues – recalls – stock outs – back orders.
   Daily communication with Supply Chain Specialist for critical path material needs.
   Communicate stock changes (stock number consolidations, etc.) with business partners
   Standards review with respect to stock material changes (fit, form, function)
   Qualifications
   Bachelor's degree required; preferably in Engineering, Business, Accounting, Finance, Supply Chain, Digital, or another related field. Five or more years of directly relevant experience in Supply Chain, Material/Warehouse management, Storeroom Operations, Logistics or applicable Industrial experience is required. In lieu of a degree 9 or more years of experience in Supply Chain, Material/Warehouse management, Storeroom Operations, Logistics or applicable Industrial experience is required. Candidates with an advanced degree or Doctorate will be considered with three or more years of relevant experience.
   In addition to the above qualifications, the successful candidate will demonstrate:
   Experience working with and managing contracts required. Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint required. Good interpersonal skills and communication with all levels of management required. Able to multitask, prioritize, and manage time efficiently required. Solid verbal and written communication skills preferred.
   All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, genetic information, military service or status, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other class, trait, or status protected by law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right materials specialist for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit materials 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.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 materials specialist

   Once you've selected the best materials 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 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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new materials 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 materials specialist?