Warehouse Associate - Receiving Department

Shepherd Electric Company; Laurel (MD); Hybrid; USD 28,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Shepherd Electric Supply in Laurel, MD is hiring a Warehouse Associate – Receiving to verify inbound shipments against packing slips and POs, and to ensure accuracy before inventory entry.

You will work Monday–Friday 5:00am–2:00pm, with pay between $20 and $22 per hour, depending on experience. You will collaborate with purchasing, warehouse, and shipping to keep stock reliable.

This role emphasizes ownership, attention to detail, safety, and continuous improvement across the receiving process.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Prior receiving, warehouse, or fulfillment experience preferred.
• Forklift certification required or ability to obtain within 30 days.
• Familiarity with warehouse management systems and standard computer tools (Excel, email) preferred.

Responsibilities

• Inbound freight is received accurately and verified against packing slip and PO.
• Document and resolve discrepancies to prevent inventory errors.
• Put received product away to correct bin locations to ensure pickability.
• Operate receiving equipment safely and maintain organized dock area.

Skills

Attention to detail

Communication

Safety consciousness

Forklift certification

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Warehouse management system

Excel

Job description

About Shepherd Electric Supply

Since 1892, Shepherd Electric Supply has been the first call when complex, time-critical electrical challenges need to be solved, and reliability truly matters. We move materials accurately and on time, so contractors stay on schedule, projects stay on track, and customers never have to wonder if we will come through. Our success comes from people who take pride in doing things the right way — safely, accurately, and with care for teammates and customers alike. If you want to do work that matters at a company that notices, this is the place.

Why This Role Matters

Everything Shepherd ships out starts with what comes in. The Warehouse Associate – Receiving Department is the first checkpoint for every product that enters the branch — and the first line of defense for inventory accuracy across the entire operation. This is not just unloading trucks. You are the person who confirms that what a vendor shipped is what Shepherd actually ordered, in the right quantity and the right condition, before it enters inventory. When receiving is done right, the shipping team pulls orders that are actually there, the counter has stock it can trust, and fill rates hold. When it is not, the error hides in a bin until a customer's order comes up short. This role is for someone who checks the details when the freight is stacking up, who catches the discrepancy before it becomes an inventory ghost, and who understands that accurate receiving is where every Shepherd promise begins.

Work Shift and Hours

Monday - Friday, 5:00am - 2:00pm

Compensation Details

The expected pay rate for this position is starting between $20.00 - $22.00 per hour depending on experience.

How This Role Connects to Our Compass

We Keep Our Promises

Accuracy starts at the receiving dock. Every promise Shepherd makes downstream depends on what you verify coming in. Right product, right count, right condition — checked against the packing slip and PO before it ever reaches a bin. If it's wrong when it arrives and you catch it, a customer never feels it.

We Stay Hungry

You notice the vendor who ships short every time, the freight that always arrives damaged, the put-away sequence that could be faster. You surface the pattern, not just the one-off — and you look for a smarter, cleaner way to receive.

We Grow Together

Receiving does not work alone. You coordinate with purchasing on discrepancies, with the warehouse floor on put-away, and with shipping on priority freight. When your communication is clean, the whole branch runs on inventory it can trust.

We Own It

You do not let a discrepancy walk into inventory. If freight is short, damaged, or wrong, you document it and resolve it before it's received. If something looks off, you stop and ask. Ownership in receiving means the error is caught here — not discovered three orders later.

We Go Above & Beyond

You get today's freight received and put away today, so it's pickable when the floor needs it. You flag recurring vendor problems before they cost a fill rate. You see what's coming off the truck and you get ahead of it.

Key Outcomes - Organized by what matters, not just what you do.

Inbound Receipt & Verification

• Unload inbound freight safely and inspect every shipment for damage, shortage, or error at the point of delivery
• Verify received product against the packing slip and purchase order — right item, right quantity, right condition — before it enters inventory
• Record receiving transactions accurately and promptly in the warehouse management system
• Coordinate with purchasing on receiving discrepancies so they are resolved, not just noted
• Prioritize time-critical and backordered inbound freight so waiting orders keep moving

Discrepancy & OS&D Handling

• Document all overages, shortages, and damages (OS&D) clearly and immediately — with the detail purchasing needs to act
• Resolve inbound discrepancies before the product is received into inventory, not after it has been put away
• Treat every receiving discrepancy as a signal, not an inconvenience — flag recurring vendor or carrier problems to the Warehouse Manager for root cause review
• Set aside and clearly tag freight that cannot be verified, rather than guessing it into inventory

Put-Away & Inventory Integrity

• Put received product away accurately to the correct bin locations so it is pickable the same shift it arrives
• Confirm bin locations are current and report location discrepancies before they cause pick errors downstream
• Handle inbound returns (RMAs) and vendor credits per Shepherd standards, keeping the receiving area clear of unresolved product
• Protect the accuracy of the count — receiving is where inventory integrity starts

Equipment, Safety & Facility

• Operate pallet jacks, hand trucks, and receiving equipment safely and in compliance with Shepherd standards
• Conduct pre-shift equipment checks and report maintenance needs before they become failures
• Keep the receiving dock and staging area organized, labeled, and clear of hazards — aisles open, freight not left blocking the floor
• Maintain safety compliance at your workstation and alert leadership to unsafe conditions immediately
• Continuous Improvement Surface workflow friction, recurring receiving errors, or put-away inefficiencies to the Warehouse Manager
• Cross-train on shipping and warehouse floor functions to build team flexibility
• Support onboarding of new receiving team members by modeling accuracy standards and Shepherd values

What Success Looks Like

• Inbound freight is received accurately — verified against the packing slip and PO — every shift
• Overages, shortages, and damages are documented and resolved the same day they occur, before product enters inventory
• Received product is put away to correct bin locations and is pickable the shift it arrives
• The receiving dock is organized, hazards are addressed, and equipment is maintained every shift
• You have surfaced at least one meaningful improvement — a verification habit, a put-away sequence, a recurring vendor catch — in your first 90 days
• Shipping and counter sales can trust that the inventory they pull from is actually there

Who Thrives Here

• A strong fit if: You take ownership of accuracy without being reminded — you do not receive something into inventory you are not sure about
• You pay attention when the freight is stacking up, especially on the details others rush past
• You treat the receiving dock like a quality checkpoint, not just an unloading zone
• You communicate clearly and directly — with your team, with purchasing, with shipping
• You stay steady when deliveries pile up and priorities shift
• You care about the work being right, not just done
• You want to be part of a team that notices when you do the job well

Qualifications & Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent required
• Prior receiving, warehouse, or fulfillment experience preferred; motivated entry-level candidates will be considered
• Forklift or pallet jack certification required or ability to obtain within 30 days of hire
• Familiarity with warehouse management systems and standard computer tools (Excel, email) preferred
• Ability to lift up to 60 lbs. regularly and stand for extended periods
• Ability to successfully complete pre-employment screening requirements

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by individuals occupying this position of employment. It is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and skill required of all individuals assigned to this job title. Management reserves the right to modify all or part of this job description at its discretion in order to meet location requirements, staffing levels, and/or any other needs of the business. All of the essential functions of the job, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act and/or equivalent state law, may not have been described.

All requests for reasonable accommodation(s) will be reviewed and evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Vet/Disabled

At Shepherd Electric Supply, our people are the cornerstone of our success. We proudly have one of the most experienced, knowledgeable, and dedicated teams in the industry, spanning across sales, project management, wire cutting, shipping, and receiving, and our skilled drivers who ensure reliable next-day delivery. Serving customers throughout Maryland, Northern Virginia, Washington D.C., and Pennsylvania, we are committed to excellence in every aspect of our business.