Forklift Operator And Material Handler

Job Title: Forklift Operator and Material Handler Job Description

This role combines hands-on batch blending and distillation operations with safe and efficient forklift and material handling duties in a manufacturing environment. You will work with liquid and semi-volatile raw materials such as terpenes, citrus oils, aldehydes, and alcohols, while operating a range of process equipment to support flavor, fragrance, and aroma chemical production. The position requires careful adherence to batch documentation, formulations, and GMP standards to ensure consistent product quality and safe chemical handling.

Responsibilities

• Execute batch blending operations using liquid and semi-volatile raw materials, including terpenes, citrus oils, aldehydes, and alcohols.

• Operate fractional distillation units, wiped film evaporators, and short-path distillation systems to support chemical processing.

• Monitor and adjust key process parameters such as temperature profiles, reflux ratios, vacuum levels, and flow rates during distillation and blending.

• Follow batch sheets, formulations, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and batch documentation to ensure accurate weighing, addition, mixing, and recordkeeping.

• Manage and oversee the operation of boilers, condensers, chillers, reboilers, heat exchangers, and related process equipment that support distillation activities.

• Set up, clean, and maintain tanks, reactors, piping, pumps, distillation columns, and blending machines to ensure safe and efficient operation.

• Operate a sit-down, propane-powered forklift to move raw materials, intermediates, and finished products safely around the facility.

• Handle materials in a GMP-compliant manufacturing environment, maintaining in-process quality control and adherence to GMP and ISO standards.

• Support terpene and essential oil processing, particularly citrus-based chemicals used in fragrance, flavor, and related applications.

• Apply chemical safety practices when working with process equipment, chemicals, and aroma compounds.

• Use ERP systems such as SAP or NetSuite for batch tracking and inventory-related tasks as needed.

• Collaborate with quality control and QA teams, including supporting GC/GC-MS sampling or QA activities when required.

• Maintain a clean, organized, and safe work area in a non-climate-controlled environment with strong citrus and orange aromas.

• Report equipment issues, process deviations, or safety concerns promptly and participate in continuous improvement efforts.

Essential Skills

• Proven experience operating a forklift, preferably sit-down and propane-powered, in a manufacturing or warehouse environment.

• Hands-on experience with distillation operations or distillation processes, including fractional, vacuum, and steam distillation.

• Ability to perform batch blending and chemical formulation processing with accurate weighing, mixing, and documentation.

• Experience working in a GMP-compliant manufacturing environment with in-process quality control and familiarity with GMP and ISO practices.

• Knowledge of distillation theory, including boiling points, vapor-liquid equilibrium, and reflux principles.

• Demonstrated capability to operate process equipment such as reboilers, condensers, chillers, heat exchangers, tanks, reactors, piping, pumps, and distillation columns.

• Understanding of chemical safety principles in a chemical manufacturing setting.

• Comfort working with terpenes, essential oils, and citrus-based chemicals in fragrance, flavor, or aroma-related production.

• Ability to follow batch sheets, formulations, SOPs, and maintain accurate batch documentation.

• Basic familiarity with ERP systems such as SAP or NetSuite for batch tracking and production support.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience in citrus processing, terpene chemistry, or aroma chemicals production.

• Background in flavor and fragrance, food ingredients, or nutraceutical manufacturing environments.

• Exposure to GC/GC-MS sampling or quality assurance support activities.

• Experience with DCS (Distributed Control Systems) or similar process control systems is beneficial.

• Previous work with blending machines, batch mixing, and fragrance-related products.

• General quality control experience in a manufacturing or chemical processing setting.

Why Work Here?

Join a manufacturing environment that values technical expertise in chemical processing and provides exposure to advanced distillation and blending technologies. You will work in a setting that emphasizes GMP and quality standards, encourages attention to safety, and offers opportunities to deepen your knowledge of flavor, fragrance, and aroma chemical production. The culture supports collaboration between operations and quality teams, giving you the chance to contribute directly to process reliability and product consistency while building your skills with modern process and ERP systems.

Work Environment

The role is based in a non-climate-controlled manufacturing facility where you will regularly encounter strong citrus and orange aromas due to the processing of terpenes and citrus-based chemicals. You will work around industrial process equipment such as distillation units, evaporators, boilers, condensers, chillers, heat exchangers, tanks, reactors, pumps, and piping. The environment follows GMP and ISO practices with a focus on chemical safety and in-process quality control. You will operate a sit-down, propane-powered forklift and interact with ERP and process control systems as part of daily operations. Appropriate industrial work attire and safety gear are required to ensure safe and effective performance of all duties.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Lakeland, FL.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $20.00 - $25.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:

Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long-term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Lakeland,FL.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 9, 2026.

About Aerotek

Aerotek® Inc. provides staffing and services solutions in manufacturing, logistics, construction, aviation, facilities and maintenance. We provide the expertise, solutions and people required to rise to the challenges of North American industry. Headquartered in Hanover, Md., Aerotek operates a unified network of over 200 offices across North America, supporting more than 18,000 clients each year. Aerotek is an Allegis Group company, the global leader in workforce and business solutions. To learn more, visit: Aerotek.com | 1-888-AEROTEK.

Aerotek offers weekly pay, employee benefits including medical, dental & vision, life insurance, health advocacy and employee assistance programs, a 401(k) plan, and employee discounts.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regards to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance:

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector:

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):

We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.