Baler Operator 1st Shift

Job Description

Job Description

Job Summary:

Join our team as a Baler Operator, where you’ll play a key role in keeping our warehouse operations running efficiently. In this hands-on position, you’ll support box sortation processes, manage recyclable materials, and operate baling equipment to ensure a clean, safe, and productive work environment.

Our Story… So Far

Founded in 1989 and headquartered in Dallas, Texas, PLA is a national supply chain solutions provider offering Pallet Management Services, 3PL Services, Reverse Logistics Services, and Freight Brokerage & Transportation Management Services, handling over 115 million pallets per year for over 1,500 customers. Now one of the largest pallet manufacturing and recycling companies in the United States, PLA has over 76 facilities, employing upwards of 3500 employees across 23 states, and is still looking for opportunities for growth, both organically and through acquisition.

About the Division

PLA - Supply Chain Services, a member of the PLA Family of Companies, is a leading provider of comprehensive supply chain services, revolutionizing the way businesses manage their supply chains. With our expertise and state-of-the-art facilities, we ensure efficient and seamless operations from start to finish.

Pay Rate: $17.00 an hour

• Guaranteed Progression: 50-cent per hour increases at 90 days, 1 year, and annually thereafter for a total of 5 years, reaching the maximum rate at 5 years in this role.

Here's What We Offer:

• Daily Pay Option – Access your earnings before payday.
• Weekly Pay – Get paid on time, every week.
• PTO (Paid Time Off).
• Full Benefits : Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance – 3 medical plan options through Blue Cross Blue Shield with low weekly premiums starting at $28.75.
• Health Savings Account (HSA) – Company contribution up to $750 annually with tax-advantaged savings.
• 401(k) retirement plan featuring up to a 4% employer match, eligibility the first of the month after 90 days, and access to a Financial Wellness Consultant.
• Flexible Benefits – Multiple plan options to fit your needs and budget.
• Prescription Drug Coverage – Low copays starting at $10 for generic medications.
• FREE Life Insurance & AD&D – Basic coverage provided at no cost upon employment.
• Vision Benefits – $10 eye exams and $150 frame allowance through Superior Vision by MetLife starting at $1.46 per week.
• Dental Coverage – 100% preventive care coverage with MetLife plans starting at $5.76 per week.
• Voluntary Short-Term Disability (STD) – Income replacement up to 60% of weekly covered earnings for a non-work-related injury or illness.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – Free and confidential support for work stress, grief, legal/financial issues, and more.
• Additional Voluntary Benefits – MetLife Legal and Identity Theft Services and Pet Insurance with ASPCA.
• LifeMart employee discount s (through ADP) on everyday stuff and larger purchases.
• Dell Employee Purchase Program (EPP) discounts available for personal use.

What You'll Be Doing:

• Swap full totes of damaged boxes with empty totes at box sorter stations
• Count and track damaged cardboard using tick sheets
• Load damaged cardboard into the baler
• Tie completed bales using wire, eject bales, and coordinate removal with forklift drivers
• Strap and remove full pallets from sorter lines
• Track pallet output from each sorter throughout the shift
• Maintain a clean, organized, and debris-free work area
• Communicate with lift drivers to ensure timely loading of pallets into trailers

What We're Looking For:

• 6+ months of warehouse or production experience preferred
• High school diploma or equivalent (preferred)
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, physically active environment
• Strong attention to detail and ability to track counts accurately
• Team-oriented mindset with good communication skills

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to stand, walk, bend, stoop, and lift for extended periods.
• Capable of lifting and moving materials regularly throughout the shift (e.g., lumber, pallets), with the ability to lift up to 50-75 pounds.
• Requires good manual dexterity and tactile sensitivity for operating tools, handling materials, and inspecting pallet quality.
• Ability to hear and understand verbal instructions, machinery sounds, and safety alarms in a noisy environment.
• Excellent vision (including close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus) for detailed work, reading measurements, identifying defects, and operating machinery safely.

Work Environment:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee will primarily work in a manufacturing or production environment. This may include exposure to wood dust, sawdust, moderate to high noise levels, and varying temperatures. Steel-toed boots and other personal protective equipment (PPE) will be required.

PLA and its Family of Companies is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

If you need assistance or accommodation during the application process because of a disability, it is available upon request by contacting View email address on ziprecruiter.com. The company is pleased to provide such assistance, and no applicant will be penalized because of such a request.