Material Handler

Job Title: Material Handler – 1st Shift (Steel Facility)

Job Description

This role supports a busy steel facility that supplies beams, rebar, stairways, glass doors, windows, and related products to general contractors. As a Material Handler, you maintain accurate inventory, locate and stage materials for production orders, and prepare finished steel products for shipment. You operate material handling equipment, including overhead cranes, and ensure materials move safely and efficiently through the facility while contributing to a strong, team-focused culture.

Responsibilities

• Maintain inventory accuracy by identifying, labeling, and placing materials and supplies in designated stock locations.

• Record and update the location of inventory to ensure materials are easy to find and track.

• Locate materials and supplies by pulling and verifying items listed on production orders and work orders.

• Prepare finished stock for shipment by identifying, pulling, packing, crating, loading, and securing products for transport.

• Document product shipments by recording units shipped and any relevant shipment details.

• Learn and operate an indoor overhead crane safely to move steel beams, rebar, and other heavy materials.

• Accurately read and use a tape measure to ensure materials and parts meet specified lengths and dimensions.

• Prepare rebar and steel components for various departments, including parts processing and loading.

• Maintain material-handling equipment by completing pre-use inspections and performing basic operator-level repairs.

• Maintain in-process inventory by keeping materials organized and available for ongoing production operations.

• Participate in ordering or purchasing standard stock items by recommending additions or deletions and ordering replenishments within established procedures and limits.

• Support parts processing operations on assigned shifts by staging, moving, and organizing materials as needed.

• Follow all safety procedures, including proper use of PPE and safe operation of cranes, forklifts, and other equipment.

• Contribute to a positive team environment by collaborating with coworkers and supporting shared production goals.

• Work both indoors and outdoors year-round, handling materials in varying weather conditions, including extreme heat and cold.

• Lift, push, and pull materials up to 75 pounds and perform physical tasks such as walking, standing for extended periods, crawling, climbing ladders, and working long hours when required.

• Operate in a contract-to-hire capacity over a defined 720-hour period, demonstrating reliability, safety, and strong performance.

Essential Skills

• At least 1 year of inventory management experience, including tracking, labeling, and organizing materials.

• Minimum of 2 years of experience as a material handler, warehouse worker, industrial forklift operator, crane operator, or working in a construction yard environment.

• At least 2 years of experience reading work orders to pull and stage parts accurately.

• 2 or more years of experience reading and using a tape measure to verify correct part lengths and dimensions.

• Ability to operate or learn to operate an overhead crane in a steel or warehouse setting.

• Experience in warehouse inventory control and material handling within an industrial or steel environment.

• Ability to walk and stand on your feet for extended periods during the shift.

• Ability to lift, push, and pull up to 75 pounds safely and repeatedly.

• Ability to crawl, climb ladders, and work long hours when required by production demands.

• Comfort working indoors and outdoors throughout the year, including in extreme cold and heat.

• Strong attention to detail to ensure accurate pulling, measuring, and documentation of materials.

• Teamwork skills to collaborate effectively with a small, close-knit shift team.

• Problem-solving skills to address inventory, material flow, and equipment issues as they arise.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience working in a steel warehouse or metals processing environment.

• Experience as a parts processor or in parts processing operations.

• Experience reading and interpreting blueprints or work instructions related to steel or fabricated components.

• Prior experience as a crane operator, including overhead crane operation.

• Forklift experience in an industrial or warehouse environment.

• Familiarity with warehouse inventory systems and inventory management practices.

• Ability to operate safely within a contract-to-hire framework and transition into a long-term role based on performance.

• Alignment with core values such as building strong relationships, demonstrating personal accountability, working with a sense of urgency, embracing innovation and change, and creating positive results from daily efforts.

Why Work Here?

You join a metals team that places a strong emphasis on culture and long-term relationships. Many employees have built their careers here across generations, creating a stable and supportive environment. The organization offers significant long-term advancement opportunities for full-time employee-owners, reflecting a commitment to internal growth and development. As an employee-owned company, you benefit from an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), allowing you to share in the success you help create. The workplace values relationship building, accountability, urgency, innovation, and delivering positive results, providing a setting where your contributions matter and your efforts are recognized.

Work Environment

This is a fully on-site role based in Carlisle, Iowa, within a steel plant that operates multiple shifts in a large facility. The position primarily supports 1st shift parts processing (approximately 6:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., or until work is complete), with related operations also running on 3rd shift (6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., Monday through Thursday) and a weekend night shift (6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., Friday through Sunday, working 36 hours with pay for 40 hours). The 3rd shift material handler team is small, with around 10 people in one large building, fostering close collaboration with supervisors and coworkers. You work both indoors and outdoors year-round and are exposed to all weather conditions, including extreme heat and cold. The environment involves handling steel beams, rebar, and other heavy materials, using equipment such as overhead cranes, forklifts, and standard warehouse tools, and performing parts processing and loading activities. Required dress includes steel-toed boots with metatarsal protection, jeans, and work-appropriate t-shirts or long sleeves, avoiding overly baggy clothing for safety. The company provides PPE such as safety glasses and gloves as needed. The contract-to-hire structure spans 720 hours, giving you the opportunity to demonstrate your skills and integrate into a culture-focused, safety-conscious steel operation.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Des Moines, IA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $22.00 - $23.00/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 Des Moines,IA.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 22, 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.