Food Rescue Warehouse Associate

Sharing Excess Inc.; Chicago, Northern (IL, KY); Hybrid; USD 22,000 - 29,000; Full time

Job summary

Sharing Excess is seeking a Full-Time Warehouse Associate in Chicago to join a fast-growing nonprofit committed to reducing food waste. You will work 7 am–3 pm Tuesday through Saturday, sorting produce and supporting warehouse operations in a temperature-controlled environment.

You’ll train volunteers, assist with weighing donations, and help move pallets and boxes to loading docks, all while maintaining safety and accuracy in records.

Qualifications

• Availability 7 am - 3 pm Tuesday through Saturday (Varies by market)
• Forklift certification preferred
• Must have a personal vehicle or reliable transportation (CIPM is accessible by train and bus)

Responsibilities

• Inspecting produce and sorting edible vs. non-edible food (looking for bruising, mold, puncture wounds, etc. and sorting out inedible produce)
• Setting up, breaking down, and general upkeep of food sorting area
• Weighing food donations with a pallet scale
• Helping maintain accurate records of food donations and distributions
• Supervising and training on-site volunteer produce sorters, when applicable
• Packing produce in boxes ready for distribution
• Moving pallets of produce with an electrical power jack
• Helping coordinate and move food from the sorting area to the loading dock or external vehicles
• Maintaining a safe and clean warehouse environment
• Building mixed pallets of produce for partner pickups/deliveries

Skills

Forklift certification

Reliable transportation

Tools

Electrical power jack

Job description

Full-Time Warehouse Associate

About Sharing Excess

Sharing Excess is one of the fastest-growing food rescue organizations in America, built on a simple but powerful mission: to reduce food waste through scalable and sustainable solutions.

What started as a grassroots movement now operates across the country- moving nearly 2 million pounds of food every week, over 100 million pounds annually, to thousands of community partners nationwide.

Our work is visionary, impactful, and deeply human. We move quickly, think creatively, and operate like a high-growth startup- with the heart of a grassroots movement. From building custom technology to rethinking the food supply chain, we're actively reshaping how food reaches communities.

If you're looking for a career with purpose- where your daily efforts make the world a better place- look no further than team SE.

Position Overview

Our warehouse associates work approximately 7 am - 3 pm Tuesday through Saturday (market and full or part time status dependent), so being comfortable with early mornings is a must!

Main responsibilities for this position include sorting and packing produce and assisting with warehouse operations in the Wholesale Produce Market. The ideal candidate will be comfortable working on a close-knit team and in a temperature-controlled warehouse environment. You will assist with a variety of essential tasks to ensure our operations run smoothly and be an essential part of our nonprofit as we reduce food waste and food insecurity across the region.

Responsibilities

• Inspecting produce and sorting edible vs. non-edible food (looking for bruising, mold, puncture wounds, etc. and sorting out inedible produce)
• Setting up, breaking down, and general upkeep of food sorting area
• Weighing food donations with a pallet scale
• Helping maintain accurate records of food donations and distributions
• Supervising and training on-site volunteer produce sorters, when applicable
• Packing produce in boxes ready for distribution
• Moving pallets of produce with an electrical power jack
• Helping coordinate and move food from the sorting area to the loading dock or external vehicles
• Maintaining a safe and clean warehouse environment
• Building mixed pallets of produce for partner pickups/deliveries

Qualifications

• Available 7 am - 3 pm Tuesday through Saturday (Varies by market,)
• Forklift certification preferred
• Must have a personal vehicle or reliable transportation (CIPM is accessible by train and bus)

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand for extended periods (up to 7 hours)
• Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds at one time
• Capability to bend, stoop, reach, and perform repetitive motions
• Comfortable working in a temperature-controlled environment (cooler temperatures)
• Ability to maneuver through a busy warehouse and handle food safely

Compensation

Starting Pay: $18.50/hour

Note: This job description is not designed to cover all activities, duties, or responsibilities required for this role. Duties may change or evolve as needed.

Sharing Excess is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applicants of all backgrounds to apply. We shall not discriminate and will not discriminate in employment, recruitment, Board membership, advertisements for employment, compensation, termination, upgrading, promotions, and other conditions of employment against any employee or job applicant on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender expression, age, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, or for any other discriminatory reason.