Forklift Operator

Forklift / Heavy Industrial Yard Operator

Industry: Structural Steel & Building Manufacturing

Location: Phoenix, AZ

Position Type: Full-Time, Day Shift (Overtime Available)

Compensation: $22.00 - $23.00 / hour (with clear pathway for long-term growth; top earners reach $31 /hr)

Benefits: Comprehensive Medical, Dental, 401(k) Match, Paid Time Off (PTO), and Paid Sick Time

Job Overview

We are seeking a dependable, safety-conscious Heavy Industrial Yard Operator to join our team in Phoenix. This is not a standard indoor warehouse role. You will operate heavy-duty forklifts and rigging equipment in an active, unpaved, and uneven outdoor manufacturing yard environment.

Your primary responsibility will be safely manipulating, staging, and loading massive structural steel components—including mainframes and beams up to 50 feet in length—onto flatbeds and step-down trailers. This role requires precision, teamwork, and strong situational awareness. There is zero customer-facing interaction.

Key Responsibilities

• Heavy Material Handling: Safely operate large-capacity sit-down pneumatic forklifts to transport and stage structural steel beams, sheets, trim pieces, and mainframes.
• Flatbed & Trailer Loading: Load complex, oversized, and flexible structural loads onto flatbeds and step-down trailers, ensuring proper weight distribution.
• Rigging & Spreader Bars: Utilize spreader bars, nylon slings, and chains to balance and stabilize long, flexible steel components up to 50 feet.
• Load Securing: Block, chock, band, and prep loads for transit to guarantee materials do not shift during transport.
• Yard Management: Navigate uneven, unpaved terrain safely across varying outdoor weather conditions.
• Team Collaboration: Take direction from yard leadership and work in tandem with other operators and ground crews to maintain an efficient, injury-free workflow.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Experience: Minimum 2–3 years of experience operating heavy-duty forklifts (10k–30k lbs capacity) or heavy equipment in an industrial setting.
• Industry Background: Previous experience working in steel service centers, lumber yards, rigging companies, concrete plants, or outdoor manufacturing yards is highly preferred.
• Rigging Knowledge: Practical experience using spreader bars and basic rigging techniques to handle long or awkward materials.
• Physical Capability: Ability to work entirely outdoors in desert weather conditions, mount/dismount large machinery frequently, and safely lift up to 50 lbs.
• Core Traits: Exceptional dependability (on time, every day), a strong team-first attitude, and the ability to take and execute verbal directions precisely.
• Reliable Transportation: Must have a dependable way to get to the yard daily.