Shipping/Receiving Material Handler

3535 Halifax Road, Petersburg, Virginia 23805-1113

About the role

This is an individual contributor position responsible for receiving, unloading, and storing incoming product loads, inspecting finished products for damage and defects, and ensuring product tags are correct and material information is entered accurately. The role involves operating equipment such as forklifts and pallet jacks to move materials, identifying products during loading and unloading, and making recommendations to resolve any damage or defects. The position also includes interacting with customers and truck drivers, coordinating special handling, maintaining general plant housekeeping, and working safely with required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Responsibilities

• Operate forklifts with the capacity to move up to 35,000 lbs. of material on and off flatbed trailers or box trucks when applicable.
• Communicate potential problems or needs with material to site leadership.
• Inspect incoming material for proper venting and draining holes/lifting attachments.
• Inspect galvanized material to ensure it meets quality standards, reject material that does not meet standards, and coordinate special handling for this material.
• Move pieces of steel and other material up to 50 pounds by hand from different locations in the plant and yard.
• Cross-train in various production departments to assist with general operations when otherwise under-utilized.
• Identify proper loading as per special loading instructions, report quality issues to site leadership, and resolve identification and equipment issues by notifying the Lead or Supervisor.
• Stage trailers with easy access to material being loaded, using independent creativity for setting up and loading (75% of this job function).
• Ensure proper safety precautions are used during all aspects of loading and unloading while operating equipment.
• Communicate problems and/or needs to departmental supervision to aid in the maximum utilization of equipment, material, and human resources.
• Maintain awareness and practice all safety considerations while operating equipment in and around the galvanizing area.
• Identify and tag all custom material.
• Use small hand tools including saws, drills, grinders, bolt cutters, riveters, and nail guns safely and effectively.
• Perform general plant housekeeping duties.

Requirements

• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide.
• Proficient with Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and VCCMax.
• Proficient at reading tags, bills of lading, and shipping and receiving papers.
• Ability to stand 90% of a shift and work outside in extreme weather conditions.
• Ability to operate forklifts and small hand tools.
• Strong communication and interaction skills with coworkers, customers, truck drivers, and management in a positive manner.
• High attention to detail and ability to follow work instructions.
• High awareness for safety.
• Ability to work overtime, including weekends and potentially holidays.
• Must be a person of passion and integrity with the drive to excel and deliver exceptional results.

Qualifications

• No degree required.
• Zero (0) to one (1) year of relevant experience.
• Ability to work with wood and small hand tools such as tape measures, saws, drills, riveters, and nail guns.
• Ability to become certified in operating forklifts.
• Ability to ensure that products meet quality standards.
• Ability to bundle, crate, box, and wrap products for shipping.
• Ability to load a truck.
• Ability to operate a computer to enter product information.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds frequently throughout a shift.
• Must be able to read and follow written and verbal instructions.
• Must understand the quality requirements of finished products.
• Must be knowledgeable about safe galvanizing practices, including proper venting and hanging devices.
• Must possess adequate communication skills to work efficiently from verbal instructions given by departmental supervision.
• Must have a working knowledge of small hand tools including tape measures, micrometers, saws, drills, riveters, and nail guns.

Highly Qualified Candidates

• One (1) year of experience as a Material Handler 1.
• Two (2) years of experience operating a forklift in a professional environment.

Job Training & Skill Development

The Material Handler 2 will require 6 months of on-the-job experience to achieve a minimum acceptable level of performance.

Physical Effort

• Operate equipment, including forklifts, approximately 85% of the shift, requiring continuous in-and-out movement, standing, walking, bending, kneeling, squatting, climbing, twisting, and turning to inspect and correct material loads.
• Spend 15% of the time walking and moving around product loads to create tags, inspect the quality of finished products, and enter data into the computer.
• When assigned to production departments, work on feet 95% of the time, intermittently operating forklifts to maintain the flow of material through the facility.
• Constant visual effort is required while operating equipment in congested areas around the galvanizing environment.
• Mental awareness is necessary for placing material on trucks and staging material for processing while adhering to all safety considerations.
• Use of small hand tools requires alertness at all times.

Responsibility for Equipment and Process

• Proper attention is required while operating equipment to minimize damage, extend equipment life, and perform safely and efficiently.
• Extreme caution must be maintained to prevent injury to others when operating equipment in the storage yard, in and around vehicles, and inside the building.
• Responsible for learning and applying all provided safety training as outlined by the company and department safety representative and/or supervisor.
• Actively participate in department safety, demonstrating excellent safety practices and behaviors, and conforming to all Valmont safety policies and procedures.

Benefits

• Comprehensive Total Wellbeing benefit package, including:
  • Healthcare (medical, prescription drugs, dental, and vision).
  • 401k retirement plan with company match.
  • Paid time off.
  • Employer-paid life insurance.
  • Employer-paid short-term and long-term disability, including maternity leave.
  • Work Life Support.
  • Tuition Reimbursement up to $5,250 per year.
  • Voluntary programs like tobacco cessation, Type 2 diabetes reversal, one-on-one health coaching, mortgage services, and more.