Forklift Operator & Material Handler – Warehouse

Woodland Foods; Waukegan (IL); On-site; USD 25,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical plans

Dental plans

Vision plans

401k with company match

Paid time off

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Woodland Gourmet is seeking a Material Handler / Forklift Operator to safely move, store, and ship materials in our Illinois warehouse and production areas. You will support production by stocking, staging, and delivering materials while ensuring inventory accuracy and adherence to GMPs and food safety standards.

The role requires at least 1 year of forklift experience, a HS diploma or GED, and the ability to lift up to 50 pounds. English fluency is required, with Spanish helpful.

Qualifications

• Minimum 1 year of forklift experience (Reach Truck, Stand-up, or Cherry Picker) required.
• High School Diploma or GED required.
• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred.
• Working knowledge of warehouse operations, inventory movement, or food manufacturing environments preferred.
• Ability to work flexible hours, including overtime when required.
• Ability to lift up to 55 lbs. (team lift required for items over 55 lbs.).
• Must follow all Woodland Gourmet GMPs and comply with food safety, quality, and sanitation requirements.

Responsibilities

• Use internal inventory systems to scan materials and products into and out of locations.
• Safely operate forklifts and other material handling equipment to transport and store products, raw materials, and packaging supplies.
• Load and unload freight from trucks and internal transfers using manual handling or powered equipment.
• Weigh, label, and stage materials and finished goods as required.
• Deliver and replenish raw materials, packaging, and supplies to production areas to support scheduled production runs.
• Store received materials properly to support inventory accuracy and proper product rotation (FIFO).
• Prepare finished goods for shipment by building boxes or pallets and processing packages through shipping systems such as UPS or FedEx.
• Communicate with Warehouse, Production, Quality Assurance, and Management regarding discrepancies in inventory, material conditions, or product quality concerns.
• Maintain an organized, clean, and safe work environment in the warehouse and/or production areas.
• Perform daily inspections of forklifts and material handling equipment and complete inspection reports as required.
• Identify and communicate products that require repacking or corrective action to Shipping or Production leadership.
• Follow all company safety policies, GMPs, and food safety standards.
• Perform other duties as assigned to support operational needs.

Skills

Forklift experience

English (read/write)

Bilingual English/Spanish

Inventory systems

Microsoft Office

Communication

Multitasking

Attention to detail

Organizational skills

Lifting up to 50 lbs

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Tools

UPS/FedEx shipping systems

Barcode/inventory scanning systems

Job description

Woodland Gourmet is seeking a Material Handler / Forklift Operator to safely move, store, and ship materials in our Illinois warehouse and production areas. You will support production by stocking, staging, and delivering materials while ensuring inventory accuracy and adherence to GMPs and food safety standards.

The role requires at least 1 year of forklift experience, a HS diploma or GED, and the ability to lift up to 50 pounds. English fluency is required, with Spanish helpful.