Material Handler Duties, Skills & Responsibilities: a Guide for Employers

Last updated: December 17, 2021

When hiring Material Handlers, it’s important to properly describe the job opening with the duties, skills and responsibilities of the role. We’ve compiled a guide to Material Handler Duties, Skills & Responsibilities using data from actual job postings on Indeed.

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Popular Material Handler Duties and Skills

Here are some commonly found skills and other specifications in job postings for Material Handlers.

Forklift
- Definition: Experience operating a forklift.
- Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
- How common is it? This skill is found in 24.1% of Material Handler job postings on Indeed.
Warehouse experience
- Definition: Experience working in a warehouse in a non-managerial capacity.
- Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
- How common is it? This skill is found in 19.9% of Material Handler job postings on Indeed.
Materials handling
- Definition: Skill or experience transporting materials using manual labor, equipment, or automated methods, typically in a warehouse or manufacturing environment.
- Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
- How common is it? This skill is found in 4.4% of Material Handler job postings on Indeed.
CDL A
- Definition: A license that qualifies an individual to drive any combination of vehicles weighing 26,001 pounds or higher. Governing bodies differ by state.
- Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
- How common is it? This skill is found in 4% of Material Handler job postings on Indeed.
Heavy lifting
- Definition: Skill or experience safely lifting and moving heavy objects while preventing injury, either alone or with a teammate.
- Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
- How common is it? This skill is found in 3.3% of Material Handler job postings on Indeed.
Mechanical knowledge
- Definition: Knowledge of or experience working with mechanical systems, tools, or machines.
- Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
- How common is it? This skill is found in 2.5% of Material Handler job postings on Indeed.
Shipping & receiving
- Definition: Knowledge of or experience with shipping and receiving processes and procedures.
- Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
- How common is it? This skill is found in 1.6% of Material Handler job postings on Indeed.
Pallet jack
- Definition: Experience operating pallet jacks.
- Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
- How common is it? This skill is found in 1.6% of Material Handler job postings on Indeed.
Warehouse distribution
- Definition: Experience or skill performing order processing operations related to storage and retrieval of goods within a warehouse distribution center.
- Years of experience most commonly required: 0-1
- How common is it? This skill is found in 1% of Material Handler job postings on Indeed.
Construction
- Definition: Experience or skill in the construction or renovation of buildings, utilities, roads, or other civil, commercial, or residential infrastructure.
- Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
- How common is it? This skill is found in 0.9% of Material Handler job postings on Indeed.
Warehouse management system
- Definition: Software for managing warehouse processes and logistics.
- Years of experience most commonly required: 4-5
- How common is it? This skill is found in 0.8% of Material Handler job postings on Indeed.
Crane
- Definition: Experience operating a crane.
- Years of experience most commonly required: 0-1
- How common is it? This skill is found in 0.7% of Material Handler job postings on Indeed.
Load & unload
- Definition: Skill or experience with loading and unloading cargo.
- Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
- How common is it? This skill is found in 0.6% of Material Handler job postings on Indeed.
Heavy equipment operation
- Definition: Experience operating heavy equipment.
- Years of experience most commonly required: 3
- How common is it? This skill is found in 0.4% of Material Handler job postings on Indeed.
Cherry picker
- Definition: Experience operating cherry pickers.
- Years of experience most commonly required: 2-3
- How common is it? This skill is found in 0.2% of Material Handler job postings on Indeed.
OSHA
- Definition: Experience with or knowledge of the standards of the Occupational Health and Safety Association.
- Years of experience most commonly required: 6-7
- How common is it? This skill is found in 0.2% of Material Handler job postings on Indeed.
Clamp truck
- Definition: Experience operating a clamp truck, which is a type of forklift with clamps instead of a fork. Typically used to move large rolls of paper.
- Years of experience most commonly required: 1
- How common is it? This skill is found in 0.2% of Material Handler job postings on Indeed.
Order picker
- Definition: Experience operating a powered industrial order picker.
- Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
- How common is it? This skill is found in 0.2% of Material Handler job postings on Indeed.

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