Material Handler /
Inventory Control
Specialist
Heavy plate handling, rigging, material flow and stock control. You own the safe movement, organization and day-to-day control of raw material — so production always has the right plate, staged and ready.
What this job actually is.
You are responsible for the safe, accurate and efficient movement, storage, staging, identification and physical control of steel plate, sheet, bar stock, remnants, work-in-process and finished product throughout DEC Metals.
This role is built for someone experienced with large, heavy and awkwardly shaped metal — who understands that weight, balance, rigging, lifting points and safety all get evaluated before the move, not during it.
Just as important: you are DEC's operational owner of physical inventory. You know what's on the floor, where it is, whether it's properly identified, what's usable and what's getting scarce — before any of it becomes a production problem.
Eight things you own.
Heavy material handling
Safely move plate, sheet, bar, structural material, heavy work-in-process and finished product using the correct forklift, crane, hoist, rigging or lifting method.
Inventory ownership & visibility
Maintain real-world visibility of DEC's physical stock. You are the eyes and ears of Operations on plate availability, location, condition, shortages and replenishment.
Identification & traceability
Protect grade, thickness, dimensions, heat and lot, customer ownership and job linkage — from receipt through use or shipment.
Production staging & flow
Correct material, correct work center, correct time. Completed work and remnants cleared promptly so machines aren't waiting on you.
Receiving accuracy
Verify inbound material against purchase orders and receiving documents, flag discrepancies, and place accepted material into controlled storage.
Remnant & scrap discipline
Return usable remnants to controlled inventory, tell usable stock from scrap, and prevent avoidable material loss and duplicate purchasing.
Shipping & flatbed loading
Stage and load finished product safely — weight distribution, dunnage, blocking, banding, edge protection — and protect customer parts in transit.
Organization & safety
Keep stock areas, aisles, racks, staging zones and travel paths orderly, accessible and safe for people and equipment.
Day to day.
- Organize and maintain plate, sheet, bar stock, remnant, customer-owned and raw-material storage areas so stock is clearly identified, accessible and protected.
- Maintain practical visibility of material type, grade, thickness, dimensions, quantity, condition and physical location.
- Monitor stock levels continuously to catch low-stock conditions, shortages, unusual consumption, duplicate stock and upcoming replenishment needs early.
- Perform routine cycle counts and physical inventory checks; compare physical stock to records and investigate or report discrepancies promptly.
- Move material safely throughout the facility — forklifts, overhead cranes, hoists, plate-lifting devices, magnets, clamps, chains, slings, shackles and hooks, when authorized.
- Evaluate weight, dimensions, center of gravity, lifting points, load stability, equipment capacity and travel path before attempting any lift.
- Receive incoming steel and purchased goods against purchase orders and packing slips, reporting shortages, damage or missing certifications immediately.
- Review production priorities and stage correct material for burn tables, CNC machines, saws and fabrication so equipment isn't waiting.
- Evaluate remnants for usability and return usable material to controlled stock with proper identification, preventing unnecessary new purchases.
- Load and unload company trucks, customer vehicles and commercial flatbeds using proper weight distribution, dunnage, blocking, banding and edge protection.
- Observe safety standards without exception — nobody under a suspended load, rigging inspected before use, required PPE worn, and stop-work authority used when something isn't right.
How the job is measured.
Seven measures, shared openly. You'll know where you stand without having to guess.
What you decide, and what you escalate.
On your own authority
Routine material placement within approved storage rules. Staging sequence within assigned priorities. Use of approved handling equipment within your training. Removal of damaged rigging from service. Temporary hold on unidentified or unsafe material.
Your call carries weight
Reorder points, rack and storage improvements, plate organization, remnant disposition, scrap controls, count cadence, handling equipment, aisle and layout changes, and workflow improvements.
Straight to Operations
Critical or developing stock shortages. Unidentified material. Receiving discrepancies. Repeated inventory variances. Unsafe lifts or damaged equipment. Rack concerns. Customer-owned material issues. Anything delaying production.
What you need to bring.
- Prior experience handling heavy steel plate, sheet, structural material, large fabricated components or heavy industrial loads.
- Demonstrated industrial forklift experience. Overhead crane, hoist, rigging, steel service center or heavy-fabrication background strongly preferred.
- Practical understanding of load weight, balance, center of gravity, load stability, rigging selection, lifting points and equipment capacity.
- Working knowledge of inventory organization, receiving, material identification, cycle counting, location control and traceability.
- Ability to read material tags, job travelers, packing slips, purchase orders and shipping documents — and to use a tape measure on plate.
- Attention to detail, spatial awareness, reliability, and the willingness to stop and ask rather than make an unsafe lift.
- Physical demands: stand, walk, bend, reach and climb throughout the shift; lift and carry up to 50 lbs independently; operate industrial equipment safely in a shop and outdoor environment.
What good looks like by day ninety.
Days 1–30
Learn DEC's material types, stock locations and shop flow. Forklift, crane and rigging expectations. Receiving process, inventory-control method, production priorities, shipping practices and traceability rules.
Days 31–60
Establish disciplined plate and rack organization. Verify baseline stock and location accuracy. Tighten receiving and remnant identification. Identify recurring gaps and start proactive low-stock communication.
Days 61–90
Own the daily material-control rhythm on your own: accurate locations, clean staging, reliable cycle counts, visible replenishment concerns, traceable remnants, safe heavy-load handling — and clear improvement recommendations.
Someone who respects large loads, knows what material we have and where it is, and sees a shortage coming before it becomes a production problem.
Application is right below.
It takes a few minutes and it goes to the people doing the hiring — not to a job board. Prefer to talk first? Call the shop and ask for hiring.