Lead Crane Operator

Kuehne+Nagel; West Jefferson (OH); On-site; USD 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and welfare benefits

401k retirement savings plan

Tuition reimbursement

Incentive compensation

Job summary

Kuehne+Nagel is seeking an experienced Crane & Lifting Operations Leader to oversee safe, compliant crane activities at our U.S. site. You will manage crane personnel, verify lift plans, and drive continuous improvement across lifting operations.

Lead lifting teams, ensure regulatory compliance, and collaborate with operations and maintenance to support business needs. This role emphasizes safety, accuracy, and operational efficiency.

Qualifications

• 3–5+ years of crane operation experience (overhead, gantry, or mobile cranes).
• NCCCO or equivalent crane operator certification.
• Strong knowledge of rigging, load charts, and lift planning.
• Experience in oil & gas, heavy industrial, or high‑risk warehouse environments.
• Ability to lead, train, and coach operators.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate all crane and lifting operations, ensuring safe and efficient material movement.
• Review and approve lift plans, rigging methods, risk assessments, and critical lift requirements.
• Verify load weights, balance, lifting points, rigging capacity, and safe load paths before lifts.
• Enforce OSHA, ASME, company, and site‑specific safety standards; lead pre‑lift safety briefings.
• Conduct and oversee crane, rigging, and equipment inspections; remove defective equipment from service.
• Train, mentor, evaluate, and authorize crane operators, riggers, and signal persons; maintain certifications.
• Coordinate lifting activities with operations, maintenance, engineering, and contractors to support business needs.
• Maintain lift logs, inspection records, certifications, and other required documentation.

Skills

Crane operation experience

NCCCO certification

Rigging knowledge

Load planning

Safety compliance

WMS familiarity

Tools

WMS systems

Job description

It's more than a job

As part of the Contract Logistics team at Kuehne+Nagel, you will play a key role in designing, managing, and optimizing solutions that keep goods moving efficiently. Whether you’re leading a team, engineering processes, or driving projects, your work ensures that our customers’ products are stored, handled, and delivered with precision. From everyday essentials to seasonal items, what we do in Contract Logistics impacts businesses and communities around the world. At Kuehne+Nagel, your contribution goes far beyond the warehouse—it helps shape the flow of global trade.

It's more than a job

As part of the Contract Logistics team at Kuehne+Nagel, you will play a key role in designing, managing, and optimizing solutions that keep goods moving efficiently. Whether you’re leading a team, engineering processes, or driving projects, your work ensures that our customers’ products are stored, handled, and delivered with precision. From everyday essentials to seasonal items, what we do in Contract Logistics impacts businesses and communities around the world. At Kuehne+Nagel, your contribution goes far beyond the warehouse—it helps shape the flow of global trade.

This position is not eligible for employment visa sponsorship. Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full‑time basis without the need for current or future employer sponsorship.

We are seeking an experienced Crane & Lifting Operations Leader to oversee safe, compliant, and efficient lifting activities, manage crane personnel and equipment, enforce safety standards, and drive continuous improvement across all site lifting operations.

How you create impact

• Lead and coordinate all crane and lifting operations, ensuring safe and efficient material movement.
• Review and approve lift plans, rigging methods, risk assessments, and critical lift requirements.
• Verify load weights, balance, lifting points, rigging capacity, and safe load paths before lifts.
• Enforce OSHA, ASME, company, and site‑specific safety standards; lead pre‑lift safety briefings.
• Conduct and oversee crane, rigging, and equipment inspections; remove defective equipment from service.
• Train, mentor, evaluate, and authorize crane operators, riggers, and signal persons; maintain certifications.
• Coordinate lifting activities with operations, maintenance, engineering, and contractors to support business needs.
• Maintain lift logs, inspection records, certifications, and other required documentation. Investigate incidents, near misses, and equipment issues; implement corrective actions and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Drive lifting safety, operational efficiency, and compliance through ongoing process improvements and oversight.

What we would like you to bring

• 3–5+ years of crane operation experience (overhead, gantry, or mobile cranes)
• NCCCO or equivalent crane operator certification
• Strong knowledge of rigging, load charts, and lift planning
• Experience in oil & gas, heavy industrial, or high‑risk warehouse environments
• Ability to lead, train, and coach operators
• Strong commitment to safety and compliance
• Experience in 3PL or multi‑customer warehouse environments is preferred
• Familiarity with WMS systems
• Advanced rigging certification
• Experience with hazardous materials or specialized lifting protocols

What's in it for you

Kuehne+Nagel we strive daily to inspire, empower, and deliver not only to our customers, but also to our colleagues. We offer a dynamic global work environment with opportunities for excellent training programs and career mobility. Base wage is part of a competitive total rewards package that includes health and welfare benefits, a 401k retirement savings plan, tuition reimbursement, and incentive compensation for eligible roles. Individual pay may vary from the target range and is determined by a number of factors including experience, skills, job location, internal pay equity, and other relevant business considerations. Kuehne+Nagel reviews pay ranges regularly to ensure competitive and fair pay based on industry market data.

Kuehne+Nagel participates in E‑Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I‑9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. Employers can only use E‑Verify once you have accepted a job offer and completed the Form I‑9.

This position relates to an available role and not a future talent pool.

Individuals with a disability who require a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or interview process may contact us by sending an email to kn.taaccommodations.com

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used to support portions of the recruitment process, such as reviewing application materials or assisting with scheduling. These tools analyze information to help inform decision making; however, all hiring decisions are made by human reviewers.

Who we are

Logistics shapes everyday life - from the goods we consume to the healthcare we rely on. At Kuehne+Nagel, your work goes beyond logistics; it enables both ordinary and special moments in the lives of people around the world.

As a global leader with a strong heritage and a vision to move the world forward, we offer a safe, stable environment where your career can make a real difference. Whether we help deliver life‑saving medicines, develop sustainable transportation solutions or support our local communities, your career will contribute to more than you can imagine.

We kindly advise that placement agencies refrain from submitting unsolicited profiles. Any submissions of candidates without prior signed agreement will be considered our property and no fees will be paid.

Kuehne+Nagel is committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (“EEO”) and to compliance with all federal, state, and local laws that prohibit workplace discrimination and unlawful retaliation. Kuehne+Nagel strictly prohibits all discrimination on the basis of race, ancestry, color, age, national origin, ethnicity, religious creed or belief, physical or mental disability, marital or familial status, legally protected medical condition, genetic information, military or veteran status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical condition), gender (including gender identity and gender expression), sexual orientation, citizenship status, protected activity (such as opposition to or reporting of prohibited discrimination or harassment. Kuehne+Nagel will also make reasonable accommodations for disabled applicants and employees, including accommodations for pregnancy and childbirth, and for the sincerely held religious beliefs of applicants and employees depending upon individual circumstances unless such accommodation would create an undue hardship on Kuehne+Nagel.