Forklift Operator

Department: Operations
FLSA Classification: Non-Exempt
Salary/Wage Range: $21-25 per hour, rate based on experience
Reports to: Operations Manager

Job Description

Summary/Objective

The Forklift Operator is responsible for safely and efficiently operating forklifts and other material-handling equipment to support the daily activities of the Operations department. This position plays an important role in keeping production, pressing, cellar, packaging, and warehouse activities supplied with the materials, ingredients, containers, and equipment needed to meet production schedules.

The Forklift Operator is expected to maintain a strong focus on safety, organization, cleanliness, and product protection while moving materials throughout the facility. The position will work closely with Press Operators, Cellar Operators, Packaging personnel, and other members of the Operations team.

The ideal candidate is dependable, safety-minded, mechanically inclined, and comfortable working in a fast-paced production environment. The employee will be trained on company equipment, traffic patterns, material-handling procedures, and applicable safety requirements.

As experience and proficiency increase, the employee may be trained in additional Operations functions and take on greater responsibility within the department.

Duties/Responsibilities

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

Forklift & Material Handling

• Safely operate forklifts and other powered material-handling equipment as authorized and trained.
• Move apples, juice, pallets, packaging materials, ingredients, finished product, waste, and other materials throughout the facility.
• Load and unload trucks and trailers safely and efficiently.
• Stage materials for pressing, production, cellar, packaging, and other Operations activities.
• Maintain proper organization of materials in designated storage areas.
• Inspect loads and pallets before moving and ensure materials are properly secured.
• Operate equipment at safe speeds and maintain awareness of pedestrians, vehicles, and other equipment.
• Follow established forklift traffic patterns and facility safety procedures.
• Communicate with team members to coordinate movement and staging of materials.

Pressing & Production Support

• Support the Press Operator by moving apples, bins, pallets, totes, and other materials as needed.
• Keep pressing operations supplied with fruit and necessary production materials.
• Remove pomace and production waste from the pressing area as directed.
• Assist with staging and moving equipment used during pressing operations.
• Maintain clear access around presses, conveyors, production equipment, and emergency exits.
• Assist with seasonal fruit receiving and storage activities.

Cellar & Production Support

• Move juice, product, tanks, totes, pallets, and other materials as directed.
• Assist Cellar and Operations personnel with material movement and production setup.
• Safely position and relocate tanks, totes, and other equipment when trained and authorized.
• Support production transfers and staging activities as directed by Operations leadership.

Packaging Support

• Deliver cans, bottles, cartons, labels, pallets, and other packaging materials to the packaging area.
• Remove finished product from packaging lines and move it to designated storage locations.
• Stage empty pallets and packaging materials for production.
• Maintain organized and accessible packaging material storage areas.

Warehouse & Facility Support

• Receive and put away incoming materials and supplies.
• Maintain accurate organization of warehouse and production storage areas.
• Assist with inventory counts and material identification as requested.
• Identify damaged, missing, or incorrectly stored materials and report them to management.
• Assist with loading customer, distributor, or company vehicles as directed.
• Remove waste, recycling, and production byproducts from designated areas.
• Assist with general facility organization and housekeeping.

Safety & Equipment Care

• Complete required pre-operation forklift inspections before use.
• Report equipment damage, mechanical issues, leaks, or unsafe conditions immediately.
• Keep forklifts clean and properly parked when not in use.
• Follow all OSHA, company, and equipment safety requirements.
• Use required PPE and follow chemical, food safety, and sanitation procedures.
• Maintain awareness of pedestrians and other employees while operating equipment.
• Never operate equipment outside of authorized training or certification.
• Assist with basic equipment care and maintenance as trained.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• None.
• May assist other Operations employees with material movement and production support.
• May provide task-specific guidance to less experienced employees when directed by the Operations Manager.

Work Environment

The work environment can be cold, wet, hot, and noisy. Employees may work around moving mechanical equipment, lift truck traffic, elevated areas, wet surfaces, fumes, cleaning chemicals, and production equipment.

The position requires frequent operation of forklifts in both indoor and outdoor environments and may involve working in varying weather conditions.

Employees may occasionally work around confined spaces such as fermenting vessels and tanks but will not enter confined spaces unless specifically trained, authorized, and assigned to do so.

The employee must be comfortable working around moving equipment and machinery and maintaining situational awareness in an active production environment.

Physical Demands

• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods of time.
• Ability to sit for extended periods while operating a forklift.
• Ability to use hands and fingers to grasp, handle, and operate equipment and controls.
• Ability to push, pull, reach, crouch, kneel, and bend as required.
• Ability to repeatedly enter and exit forklift equipment.
• Ability to occasionally lift and move up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to work safely on wet, uneven, or outdoor surfaces.
• Ability to maintain visual and mental attention while operating equipment.
• Ability to judge distances, clearances, and load positioning.
• Ability to work in varying temperatures and noisy production environments.

Travel Required

None.

Affirmative Action/EEO Statement

Citizen Cider embraces and is committed to diversity and equal opportunity. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. The more inclusive we are as a team, the better our product can be for the people by the people.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job