How to hire a shipping technician

How to hire a shipping technician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step shipping technician hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your shipping technician 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 shipping technician 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a shipping technician 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 shipping technician that fits the bill.

   This list presents shipping technician salaries for various positions.

   Type of Shipping Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Shipping Technician	Material recording clerks track product information in order to keep businesses and supply chains on schedule. They ensure proper scheduling, recordkeeping, and inventory control.	$13-18
   Logistics Clerk	Logistics clerks are professionals who are responsible for regulating the supply chain of an organization by performing administrative tasks such as monitoring inventory levels, arranging transportation methods, and managing shipping schedules. These clerks are required to ensure that electronic or paper files are kept accurately and up-to-date so that they can track orders and answer billing questions... Show more	$12-19
   Warehouse Receiving	The duties of a warehouse receiving worker include interacting with delivery couriers, such as DHL and FedEx/UPS, while generally simplifying the customer service delivery process. They are expected to closely inspect all goods and products for damages, verify the quantities of products ordered, and enter these into inventory using RF or WMS system... Show more	$12-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Data Entry
   • Computer Software
   • Pallets
   • Customer Orders
   • Sops
   • Hand Tools
   • Inventory Control
   • Shipping Receiving
   • FDA
   • Cycle Counts
   • Safety Procedures
   • USPS
   • Rail Cars
   • Order Processing

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage an off-site facility by organizing overflow product placement and the logistics of transporting it as needed.
   • Train on an RF gun and electronic pallet jack.
   • Work in finish goods vault picking orders using first in first out (fifo) and sequential order.
   • Perform logistics management operations by inspect incoming property for correct identification, condition and security classifications.
   • Move motorcycles and snowmobiles with forklift.

   More shipping technician duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your shipping technician job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A shipping technician 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 a shipping technician in Delaware may be lower than in Nebraska, and an entry-level shipping technician usually earns less than a senior-level shipping technician. Additionally, a shipping technician 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 shipping technician salary

   $16.06hourly

   $33,407 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level shipping technician salary

   $28,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 25, 2025

   Average shipping technician salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$38,115	$18
   2	Massachusetts	$37,793	$18
   3	Washington	$35,437	$17
   4	Wisconsin	$35,104	$17
   5	Colorado	$33,317	$16
   6	Pennsylvania	$33,077	$16
   7	Texas	$33,015	$16
   8	Indiana	$32,545	$16
   9	Illinois	$32,086	$15
   10	Michigan	$31,771	$15
   11	South Carolina	$31,739	$15
   12	Kentucky	$31,520	$15
   13	Kansas	$31,234	$15
   14	Ohio	$31,085	$15
   15	Nevada	$31,017	$15
   16	Tennessee	$30,763	$15
   17	Alabama	$30,635	$15
   18	North Carolina	$30,182	$15
   19	Utah	$29,368	$14
   20	Oklahoma	$27,578	$13

   Average shipping technician salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	West Fraser	$37,954	$18.25
   2	Pharmaceutical Product Development	$36,897	$17.74
   3	Green Bay Packaging	$36,808	$17.70	1
   4	INW Pro-Form Laboratories	$36,668	$17.63
   5	Thermo Fisher Scientific	$36,524	$17.56	2
   6	CVS Health	$36,455	$17.53	30
   7	Cummins	$36,421	$17.51	8
   8	Charles River Center	$36,260	$17.43	3
   9	Dura-Line	$35,701	$17.16
   10	Precision Castparts	$35,697	$17.16	4
   11	Indium	$35,599	$17.11
   12	Festo Didactic	$35,200	$16.92
   13	CHEMetrics	$35,198	$16.92
   14	ROMAC INDUSTRIES	$35,050	$16.85	5
   15	Phenix Label	$35,047	$16.85	1
   16	Pace Analytical	$34,930	$16.79
   17	Valentus	$34,858	$16.76
   18	Westchester	$34,839	$16.75
   19	Orbia Advance Corp Sab DE Cv	$34,839	$16.75
   20	FN America	$34,831	$16.75

4. Writing a shipping technician job description

   A job description for a shipping technician 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 shipping technician job description:

   Shipping technician job description example

   Discover your potential
   
   Do you have the drive to create, innovate and develop sustainable solutions for the mining and cement industries, taking on some of the world's biggest challenges? If yes, you will fit right into our culture. We count on people who are agile, challenge conventions, and drive success for us and our customers. We want passionate employees who excel in collaboration. Together we carry forward a brand of excellence and a safe industry for employees and customers. We contribute to a better future, while our global career opportunities enable you to discover your potential.
   
   * $1,000 Sign On Bonus*
   
   FLSmidth Inc is hiring a 2nd shift Shipping Technician for the Pekin Illinois facility!
   
   Your Responsibilities (includes, but not limited to):
   
   * Prepare orders for shipment by performing the following duties.
   * Ability to work in a safe manner in accordance to all safety policies.
   * Operate Gas and Electric lift trucks, overhead cranes, saws, nail guns, screw guns, banding equipment, and other equipment as needed.
   * Construct packaging and secure product in wooden crates or cardboard containers
   * Apply shipping markings on packed cartons by stenciling, writing, or applying labels on cartons.
   * Examines outgoing shipments to ensure shipments meet specifications.
   * Load trucks, flatbeds, and containers.
   * Maintain a clean and organized area.
   
   What you bring
   
   * Strong attention to detail, accuracy, and safety
   * Previous construction experience preferred
   * Ability to read / write and interpret documents
   * Ability to perform a variety of clerical functions and do basic math
   * Computer skills
   * Ability to lift up to 50 pounds and perform repetitive tasks
   * Ability to be on feet for long periods
   * High school degree or equivalent
   * Working knowledge of safety protocols
   
   Physical Demands
   
   The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
   
   While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, walk and reach with hands and arms, and must regularly lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
   
   Other details
   
   The employee is typically exposed to indoor working conditions, and occasionally outside weather conditions, and vibration. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
   
   * 2nd Shift: Monday - Thursday (9 hour shifts); Friday (4 hour shift); and overtime as required
   
   What we offer
   
   * Competitive pay and benefits (Starting $19 - $25/hr dependent on experience); 8% shift differential for 2nd & 3rd shift positions
   
   * Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) plan allowing accrual and use of PTO effective upon date of hire
   
   * Clean and safe work environment
   
   * Matching 401K
   
   FLSmidth Inc. is an equal opportunity employer.
   
   FLSmidth is the leading supplier of engineering, equipment and service solutions to customers in the mining and cement industries - for more information please visit FLSmidth.com/careers

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit shipping technicians, 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.

   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 shipping technician

   Once you have selected a candidate for the shipping technician 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 shipping technician. 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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