Forklift Operator - West Pak Avocado : Job Details

Who We Are At West Pak, being a family owned and operated company means, among other things, respect, integrity, support, and commitment to excellence. Our dedication starts with how we respect the land and the people who work it and carries over into the way in which we conduct all business. This same thoughtful care goes into how we handle our precious cargo. Our avocados are harvested at exactly the right time, packed to perfection, and delivered fresh for enjoyment worldwide. Over the years, as West Pak's relationships and reputation grew, operations increased with larger facilities and extended distribution. Our company has since grown to 6 distribution facilities exceeding 300,000-square-feet across the United States and Mexico. Today, West Pak avocados are sourced from over 1,000 growers owning over 65,000 acres across California, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, and Peru. Current distribution includes 350+ customers throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan, China, South Korea, Hong Kong, and the Middle East. Primary Duties & Responsibilities Under minimal supervision, the Forklift Operator will move products in and out of the facilities racking system and will load or offload trucks that are picking up or delivering product.

• Coordinates with Quality Control to team to unload incoming shipments. Once unloaded operator verifies incoming shipments against receiving ticket, bills of lading or packing slips.
• Ensure specified product is moved quickly and accurately
• Verifies information and counts are correct, and product is within West Pak Avocado quality parameters. Checks shipment for damage, contamination or shortages.
• Follow all Company rules and policies including safety regulations. Promptly report violations or potential problems to supervisor or appropriate parties
• Ensure all products have been inspected prior to storing the product.
• Efficiently moves product from cooler to dock staging area for final inspection prior to loading trailers.
• Ensures all product leaving facility are within allowed temperature parameters.
• Applies truck seals to ensure product integrity throughout transportation phase.
• Perform daily entries in Famous of all inbound and outbound shipments.
• May maintain department database, prepare routine reports, and file shipping/receiving records.
• Ensure proper functioning of all equipment, correcting or reporting problems promptly; daily preventive maintenance as required
• Fill out forklift inspection form daily. Maintain extensive knowledge of work procedures and policies, customer knowledge, DOT regulations.
• Maintain a clean, hazard-free work area
• Follow all food safety and good manufacturing practices
• Perform other duties as assigned

Education & Experience

• High School Diploma or GED
• 1-3 years of sit-down forklift experience.
• Shipping / Receiving knowledge handling product or prior experience in a cold storage environment.
• Experience working in the produce industry preferred; working knowledge of fruit stages, sizes and customer specifications preferred; working knowledge of refrigerated product desirable

Skills

• Ability to perform basic math computations.
• Bilingual in Spanish and English preferred.
• Working knowledge of current (or similar) production/warehouse operations
• High level of flexibility and dependability
• Ability to follow instructions

License/Certifications CAL OSHA Forklift Certified preferred. Working Hours Must be willing to work flexible schedules; able to work Saturdays and in special circumstances Sundays. Physical Requirements/Working Conditions The essential functions of this job require frequent standing, walking, and upper body movements. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus. Must be able to have full repetitive use of both hands and fingers (simple grasping). Physical demands include bending, stooping, reaching above and below shoulder level. Lifting and carrying are also essential. The employee will also be in contact with chemical products and machinery. Additionally, the incumbent will work near moving mechanical parts, stacks, pallets and may be exposed in high places and surfaces. The noise level in the work environment is usually high. The incumbent may be exposed to situations in which occasional lifting may be involved (up to 50 lbs.), with or without assistance. There will be exposure to situations of working in a hot or cold environment from 38°F-60°F and will frequently be exposed to hot or wet (humid) locations. Privacy Notice: By applying, you consent to West Pak Avocado, Inc. collecting and processing your personal data for recruitment purposes, including evaluating your application and communicating with you. We handle your data securely and in compliance with applicable laws including CCPA (for California applicants). For questions or to learn more, please contact us.