Soil Room Forklift Operator

About the Role

A successful candidate will learn quickly, gain knowledge to create soil loads, and understand the processes involved in soil production for manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Assist the Crew Leader with preparing and completing soil loads according to production schedules, specifications, and operational requirements.
• Operate cranes and material-handling equipment to safely fill fertilizer hoppers and support soil production operations.
• Collect and properly label soil samples for laboratory testing and quality control analysis.
• Learn and operate automated control panels and production systems, including entering soil recipes and monitoring production processes.
• Perform routine equipment inspections on machinery and systems associated with soil production to identify operational or maintenance concerns.
• Clean and maintain shavers, hoppers, and other soil-processing equipment regularly to support safe and efficient production.
• Follow established workplace safety procedures, equipment operating guidelines, and production standards.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and safe work area in accordance with company procedures.
• Communicate equipment issues, production concerns, or safety hazards to the Crew Leader or management.
• Perform additional production, material handling, and operational duties as assigned by management.

Requirements

• Previous forklift operating experience in a manufacturing, production, warehouse, agricultural, or similar work environment.
• Familiarity with or previous experience operating heavy equipment, industrial machinery, or material-handling equipment.
• Basic Microsoft computer skills, including navigating common applications and entering information accurately.
• Comfortable using touchscreen technology and electronic devices, such as iPads/tablets, two-way radios, automated control panels, and other production equipment interfaces.
• Previous inventory control or cycle counting experience preferred, including tracking chemicals, fertilizers, soil components, raw materials, or other production supplies.
• Ability to accurately count, document, and monitor inventory levels and communicate material shortages or discrepancies.
• Ability to manually handle 50-pound bags of fertilizer, lime, and other soil-production materials when required.
• Ability to work safely around forklifts, heavy equipment, chemicals, fertilizers, and production machinery while following established safety procedures.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience operating heavy equipment, industrial machinery, or material-handling equipment in a manufacturing, production, agricultural, or warehouse environment.
• Intermediate proficiency with Microsoft Office/Microsoft 365 applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and other computer-based production or inventory systems.
• Previous experience operating PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) touchscreen systems, HMI interfaces, or automated equipment control panels.
• Familiarity with using touchscreen controls to monitor equipment, enter production settings or recipes, and support automated production processes.
• Experience working in a manufacturing, production, agricultural, soil processing, fertilizer, or material-handling environment.

Job Setting & Physical Demands

• Primarily outdoors but may require work between locations.
• Fluency in reading, writing, and understanding the English language is required.
• Must be able to work in all outdoor elements, including dust and allergens.
• Requires long-term ability for standing, sitting, squatting, kneeling, bending, reaching, and twisting regularly to fulfill essential duties.
• Must be able to operate or learn to operate all machinery necessary within the department and across the facility.
• Must be available to work evenings and weekends as business needs arise and during peak seasons.