Forklift Operator And Material Handler

Job Title: Forklift Operator and Material Handler

Job Description

This role involves safely operating forklifts and other material handling equipment to load, unload, and transport products within a busy paper processing and manufacturing facility. You will support warehouse and production operations by moving materials efficiently, maintaining accurate inventory counts, and following all safety and quality procedures. The position requires physical work, attention to detail, and consistent adherence to operational standards on a 3:00 PM – 11:00 PM shift following an initial training period.

Responsibilities

• Operate sit-down forklifts, order pickers, pallet jacks, and electric pallet jacks to load, unload, and transport materials throughout the facility.
• Load and unload semi-trailer trucks and move products to designated storage, staging, or production areas.
• Perform daily equipment inspections on forklifts and material handling equipment and report any maintenance or safety concerns immediately.
• Conduct safety checks on lifts, including lubricating equipment, recharging batteries, filling fuel tanks, or replacing liquefied-gas tanks as needed.
• Handle material loading, unloading, palletizing, and general material handling tasks in accordance with safety and quality standards.
• Assist with general warehouse and general labor duties, including order picking, order pulling, and physical labor as required.
• Maintain accurate inventory counts, verify product quantities, and report any discrepancies or issues with inventory.
• Follow written work instructions, labels, and inventory documentation to ensure correct material handling and placement.
• Navigate forklifts safely through aisles, ramps, trucks, and storage areas while maintaining awareness of surroundings and spatial limitations.
• Adhere to all company safety, quality, and operational policies and procedures at all times.
• Support logistics and production teams by ensuring materials are delivered to the correct locations in a timely manner.
• Participate in training activities and apply learned procedures to maintain safe and efficient operations.

Essential Skills

• At least 6 months of consistent forklift (FL) operation experience.
• Proven ability to safely operate sit-down forklifts, including maneuvering through aisles, ramps, trucks, and storage areas.
• Knowledge of forklift load capacities, dimensions, and balance requirements to handle materials safely.
• Ability to recognize spatial limits such as doorways, shelves, and aisles to ensure safe material placement.
• Familiarity with warehouse layouts and material flow for efficient material handling and logistics support.
• Basic math skills, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, decimals, and percentages.
• Reading and writing skills sufficient to follow work instructions, read labels, and complete inventory and production reports.
• Ability to exert 20–50 lbs occasionally, 10–25 lbs frequently, and up to 10 lbs constantly as part of regular job duties.
• Capability to lift and carry up to 50 lbs occasionally and 20–50 lbs frequently while performing loading, unloading, and material handling tasks.
• Comfort working in an environment with occasional exposure to weather, humidity, vibration, and atmospheric conditions.
• Ability to work effectively in a loud production environment while maintaining focus on safety and accuracy.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with order picking, order pulling, and general warehouse labor.
• Experience in logistics or material handling within a manufacturing or processing facility.
• Experience using electric pallet jacks, order pickers, and other powered industrial trucks.
• Comfort performing repetitive physical tasks such as loading, unloading, palletizing, and general labor.
• Willingness to work a 3:00 PM – 11:00 PM shift following a structured training schedule.
• Strong attention to detail and reliability in following safety and operational procedures.

Why Work Here?

Employees benefit from a supportive work environment that offers two weeks of paid vacation starting on day one, providing immediate work-life balance. Once hired full-time, you gain access to a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, dental, and vision coverage, as well as HSA and FSA options, an employee assistance program, and a 401(k) plan to support long-term financial well-being. The facility also provides a dedicated break room, creating a comfortable space to recharge during shifts.

Work Environment

The role is based in a paper processing and manufacturing facility with a very loud production floor, requiring consistent awareness of safety and surroundings. You will work primarily on the 3:00 PM – 11:00 PM second shift, following an initial two-week training schedule from 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The work involves regular loading, unloading, palletizing, and general labor, with frequent lifting and carrying of materials up to 50 lbs. You may experience occasional exposure to weather, humidity, vibration, and atmospheric conditions while performing your duties. Steel toe or composite safety shoes are required at all times, and you will regularly use forklifts, order pickers, pallet jacks, and electric pallet jacks in a fast-paced, logistics-focused environment.

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Covington, TN.

The pay range for this position is $16.25 - $16.85/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: • Medical, dental & vision • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital • 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) • Short and long-term disability • Health Spending Account (HSA) • Transportation benefits • Employee Assistance Program • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

This is a fully onsite position in Covington,TN.

This position is anticipated to close on Aug 28, 2026.

About Aerotek

Aerotek® Inc. provides staffing and services solutions in manufacturing, logistics, construction, aviation, facilities and maintenance. We provide the expertise, solutions and people required to rise to the challenges of North American industry. Headquartered in Hanover, Md., Aerotek operates a unified network of over 200 offices across North America, supporting more than 18,000 clients each year. Aerotek is an Allegis Group company, the global leader in workforce and business solutions. To learn more, visit: Aerotek.com | 1-888-AEROTEK.

Aerotek offers weekly pay, employee benefits including medical, dental & vision, life insurance, health advocacy and employee assistance programs, a 401(k) plan, and employee discounts.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regards to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance:
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector:
It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):
We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.

We know that finding work is hard, and finding meaningful work is harder. Aerotek connects 180,000+ light industrial and skilled trades workers with 14,000+ employers each year, helping our workers navigate an evolving labor market and find jobs that meet their goals, skills, and interests. Since 1983, we have provided a variety of career opportunities across North American industry – from short-term assignments at Fortune 500 companies where you can build your skills, to long-term opportunities where you can play a vital role in solving companies’ construction, manufacturing, and maintenance challenges. Our 1,500+ experienced recruiters across 250+ offices work relentlessly to put our workforce in a position to thrive. Let us rise to meet your challenges and put our people-are-everything spirit to the test as your career continues to grow.