Cold-Chain Forklift Material Handler (Production Ingredients)

Step Into the Flow of a Busy Production Day

Imagine starting a 12-hour shift—either as dawn breaks at 6:00am or when the evening begins at 6:00pm. You review the production schedule, map out what the blend room needs tomorrow, and prioritize pulls from freezer, cooler, and dry storage. With your forklift and tow trailer, you stage ingredients and concentrates with precision, keeping lanes clear and product moving. RF scanner in hand, you confirm locations, check quality attributes in QAD, and follow FEFO and FIFO so the right lots are used at the right time.

As production wraps, you return any unused materials to optimal storage locations, again validating moves in QAD. You print batch sheets and Pro-guides, fill in ingredient details accurately, and keep every area spotless—sweeping or scrubbing when needed and maintaining lot integrity with one partial per item. Throughout the day, you uphold SQF standards, champion food safety and quality, and proactively speak up about any potential issues.

What You’ll Do

• Pull and stage ingredients/concentrates for next-day production using forklifts and a tow trailer across warehouse, cooler, and freezer.
• Review production schedules to determine requirements and prioritize by freezer, cooler, and dry areas; organize staging lanes to reduce congestion.
• Use RF scanners and inventory systems; verify quality attribute levels and locations in QAD; apply FEFO and FIFO appropriately.
• Return unused ingredients from prior production runs to correct locations promptly to maintain flow.
• Run FEFO reports in QAD, export to Excel, then sort and filter data to guide pulls.
• Print production schedules, batch sheets, and Pro-guides for Blending; complete batch sheets with accurate ingredient information.
• Keep staging areas, coolers, dry storage, and freezers organized and clean; operate sweeper/scrubber and use broom/squeegee as needed.
• Be accountable for food safety, product quality, and regulatory requirements; communicate potential food safety concerns to management; follow all SQF requirements.

Shifts, Pay, and Employment Type

• Schedule: 12-hour shifts on a 2 on, 2 off, 3 on rotating schedule.
• Shift options: 6:00am–6:30pm ($20/hr) or 6:00pm–6:30am ($21/hr).
• Overall pay range noted: $19.00 – $20.00 per hour.
• Job Types: Full-time, Temp-to-hire.
• Work Location: In person.

What You Bring

• High school diploma or GED.
• Valid forklift certification and driver’s license.
• At least 1 year of forklift driving experience.
• Material handling background, current forklift license, and basic computer skills.
• Comfort using RF scanners, QAD (or similar ERP), and Excel for sorting/filtering.

Physical & Work Environment

• Frequent: talking, hearing, hand/finger use for machinery and electronic equipment; lifting 50–75 lbs; twisting/turning; reaching above head.
• Occasional: squatting, kneeling, reaching at/above shoulder; exposure to toxic and corrosive chemicals.
• Vision: close, distance, color, and peripheral vision with or without correction; ability to spot obstacles and hazards around high-speed and powered industrial equipment.
• Hearing: normal audio range with or without correction; noise exposure from machinery horns, bottle lines, and exhaust fans.
• Environment: noisy and wet conditions; seasonal temperature changes; cold exposure in the freezer.

Benefits

• 401(k), retirement plan
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off and paid sick time
• Paid training and opportunities for advancement
• Referral program

Tools You’ll Use

• Forklifts (powered industrial lift equipment)
• RF scanners, QAD, Excel, production printers