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Defense Logistics Agency

Materials Handler (12 Month Register)

Location: Pennsylvania, New Cumberland Defense Logistics Center
Requires Relocation: No
Start Date: 02/01/2026
End Date: 01/01/2027
Offering Type: Permanent
Hiring Paths: The public
Service Type: Competitive
Travel Percentage: Occasional travel
Full Time On-site

Defense Logistics Agency

About Defense Logistics Agency

America’s Combat Logistics Support Agency: The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) is a U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) agency. DLA provides worldwide logistics support for the missions of the Military Departments and the Unified Combatant Commands under conditions of peace and war. It also provides logistics support to other DoD Components and certain Federal agencies, foreign governments, international organizations, and others as authorized.

Summary

Job summary

This is an open-continuous announcement with an established initial cut-off date of 01/13/2026. Please see the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section for more information. See below for important information regarding this job.

Major duties

Receives, stores, and assembles for issue, shipment, and distribution, a wide variety of materials using mechanized, automated, and manual material moving equipment. Receives, unloads and processes incoming shipments. Checks accompanying documentation against container or packing labels. Follows established procedures in reporting over, short, misdirected, or damaged materials. Assembles items for shipment in the loading area according to information provided on the shipping requests and checks the condition of shipping containers prior to loading. Ensures shipments are properly loaded onto the right conveyances. Counts types and quantities of items during inventories, and maintains tally listings during the count. Recounts or searches other storage locations to assist in determining the basis for over, short, or misplaced items. Operates one or more types of material handling equipment such as standard type forklift with a lifting capacity of up to 15,000 pounds, warehouse tractor, stock selector, or general-purpose vehicle. May pack and/or repack a variety of items utilizing a wide variety of standard packing materials, methods and techniques.

Qualification

Applicants will be rated in accordance with the Office of Personnel Management Qualification Standard for Trades and Labor Occupations. Although a specific length of time and experience is not required, you must meet any screen-out element listed, and show through experience and training that you possess the quality level of knowledge and skill necessary to perform the duties at the level for which you are applying. Emphasis is placed on how you gained the quality of experience, not necessarily the length of time, and the required ability or potential to perform the job. Applicants who do not meet the screen-out element (SOE) will be eliminated from further competition. The SOE and minimum qualifications for this position is: Ability to do the work of a Materials Examiner and Identifier (Forklift Operator) without more than normal supervision (SOE): Perform the common tasks of the job to be filled but under close supervision, such as receiving general guidance on assignments, such as where and how identified items are to be received, stored, and maintained. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Physical Effort The operator performs work on dirt, wooden, asphalt and concrete floors and is required to walk, stand, stoop, bend and work in uncomfortable and tiring positions. Must be able to lift and carry supplies and material that weigh up to 40 pounds. Heavier items are moved with weight handling equipment or with assistance from other workers. Required to open and close boxes, cartons, bags and other containers to inspect and count contents. Moderate physical effort is required in operating forklift truck and rising, lowering, and tilting loads being moved. Working Conditions Material handling work is done inside and outside (wood frame, Quonset, and concrete warehouses). The incumbent may work inside in areas that are hot, cold, damp, rainy weather, drafty or poorly lighted and may be dirty, dusty and greasy. Incumbent may work in bad weather in outside areas such as open docks and storage yards. The material handler is frequently exposed to the possibility of cuts, scrapes, bruises and broken bones; falls from ladders; or injury from forklift trucks overturning or other equipment. Work may require wearing protective clothing such as hardhats, steel toed shoes, rubber gloves, masks, and rubber aprons.

Evaluations

Open-Continuous Cut-off Information: An initial cut-off date of 01/13/2026 will be used to evaluate candidates for the initial available vacancies. Any application received after the initial cut-off date will only be considered should additional vacancies be received after the initial cut-off date. If additional vacancies are received after the initial cut-off date, ALL applicants that have applied will be evaluated/re-evaluated and ranked as stated within the Evaluation statement in the announcement. Direct Hire Evaluation: Once the application process is complete, a review of your application will be made to ensure you meet the job requirements. This vacancy will be filled through a Department of Defense Direct Hire Authority. All applicants who meet the basic qualification requirements will be forwarded to the Selecting Official for consideration. The rule of Three, Veteran's Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply to this vacancy. We will evaluate your application for basic eligibility and to determine if your experience meets the basic qualification requirements described in the announcement. All applicants who meet the qualifications and other basic requirement are eligible for referral and selection consideration. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating.