Operator Trainee - Shipping & Warehouse

MP Materials; Mountain Pass (CA); On-site; USD 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

MP Materials seeks an Operator Trainee in the shipping department to prepare and ship products to domestic and international customers. You will transfer packaged products to warehouses and loading areas, and handle outbound materials with proper documentation and safety checks.

This role requires a High School Diploma, a valid driver’s license, forklift experience, and basic computer skills. Expect on-site work in Mountain Pass, CA, with potential safety training and daily operational duties.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or equivalent required.
• Valid Driver’s License and good driving record to operate company vehicles on site.
• Three years’ forklift experience in a warehouse or industrial setting.
• Experience loading packages onto transport modes (semi, sea, rail).
• Familiarity with shipping docs (bills of lading, packing lists).
• Basic computer skills.

Responsibilities

• Transfer packaged products from plant areas to warehouses or staging/loading areas.
• Prepare, package, document and deliver outbound materials (palletization, banding, wrapping, blocking, bracing).
• Review bills of lading and shipping checklists to execute outbound shipments.
• Perform daily safety inspections of work areas and equipment.
• Maintain housekeeping in work areas as necessary.
• Deliver supplies and reagents to different departments on site.

Skills

Attention to detail

Multitasking

Professional communication

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent

Tools

Forklift operation

Job description

Company Overview

MP Materials (NYSE: MP) is rebuilding American industrial capability for a new era of autonomy, robotics, and electrification. We are the only U.S. company with a fully integrated rare earth supply chain—from mining and refining to advanced metal and magnet manufacturing. Our products include both the critical materials used to make permanent magnets and the finished magnets themselves—enabling next-generation technologies in robotics, automation, aerospace, transportation, defense, and energy systems. These materials are the foundation of physical AI—the convergence of computation, movement, and control.

We hire ambitious, mission-driven people who want to tackle complex challenges and shape the future of strategic industries. Our culture is rooted in teamwork, resiliency, and integrity, with a deep commitment to operational excellence and national purpose. MP is rapidly evolving from a materials producer into a leading U.S. manufacturer—and our people are driving that transformation.

Position Overview

The Operator Trainee in the shipping department is responsible for preparing and shipping out products to domestic and international customers. This includes the transferring and loading of all products onto sea containers, trucks, and other modes of transport.

Position Responsibilities

• Transfer packaged products from the operating areas of the plant to the product warehouses or alternate staging/loading areas.
• Prepare, package, document and deliver outbound materials which may include palletization, banding, wrapping, blocking, and bracing procedures.
• Review bills of lading and shipping checklists to execute outbound shipments.
• Perform daily safety inspections of work areas and operating equipment.
• Perform housekeeping in work areas as necessary.
• Deliver supplies and reagents to different departments on site.

Basic Qualifications

• High School Diploma or equivalent required.
• Valid Driver’s License and good driving record required to drive company vehicles on property.
• Three years’ experience operating a forklift in a warehouse or industrial type setting.
• Experience loading packages/products onto various modes of transport (semi, sea container, rail).
• Familiarity with shipping documentation to include bills of lading and packing lists.
• Basic computer skills.

Desired Qualities

• Strong attention to detail.
• Ability to multitask.
• Ability to communicate with management and staff professionally and effectively.

Equal Opportunity / Diversity Statement

MP Materials is Proud to be an Equal Opportunity /Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Underrepresented groups/Women/Disabled/Veterans are encouraged to apply. Candidates whose disabilities make them unable to meet the position’s requirements will still be considered qualified if they can perform the essential functions of the job with reasonable accommodation.

Your Right to Work

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment verification document form upon hire.

Safety Provision

Employees are responsible for following all company, industry and regulatory procedures and laws to ensure a safe work environment for themselves and the company. Employees must have a willingness to promote safety among the workforce, participate in Process Hazard Analysis procedures and Pre-Startup Safety Reviews. (PPE) Personal Protective Equipment is required when performing work in a mine, manufacturing, outdoor, or plant environment. Required PPE may include, but is not limited to, hard hat, hearing protection, safety glasses, safety footwear, respirator, rubber steel-toe boots, protective clothing, gloves, and any other protective equipment as required.

Working Conditions

Our facility sits at an elevation of 4,700 feet. Employees may be subject to extreme weather conditions when working in an outdoor setting (heat and cold, wind). Work is at an open pit mine or manufacturing/chemical plant setting, which may include exposure to moving mechanical parts, toxic chemicals, risk of electrical shock, explosives, fumes, or airborne particles.

Physical Demands

Manual dexterity; sense of touch; sense of smell; speaking clearly; hearing-speech range; hearing – all ranges; seeing, reading and comprehensions; seeing – distant/near; depth perception; color vision. While performing the job responsibilities, the employee is required to talk and hear. The employee is often required to stand and use their hands and fingers, to handle or feel and to manipulate laboratory equipment. The employee is occasionally required to walk, reach with arms and hands, climb or balance, and to stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. Vision abilities required by this job include close vision. Employees must pass a full-face respiratory fit test. Employees must be able to lift 50 lbs. Must be able to work in PPE level C. These requirements are representative, but not all-inclusive, of the knowledge, skill, and ability required of the employee.