Materials Handler

Summary This position is located in the Warehouse area of the Logistics Service in a Veteran Affairs Health Care System (VA HCS) and supported catchment area. The position is located at the Des Moines VA Medical Center, Des Moines, IA, performing warehouse work that involves receiving, storing, selecting, and shipping general or specialized bulk and bin materials and equipment. The primary purpose of this position is to provide warehousing, distribution and receiving supplies of goods and equipment. Learn more about this agency Duties Help Duties include, but may not be limited to the following: • Receives incoming shipments and checks the items against the electronic purchase orders and other related documentation to verify correctness prior to completing the receiving process. • Records, annotates and forwards all appropriate information in accordance with current procedures and notes discrepancies such as shortages and damages while ensuring all are resolved in a timely manner. • Maintains the flow of the warehouse by moving, delivering, shelving, storing and inventorying materials and equipment per appropriate procedure. • Handles delivering and warehousing materials including hazardous, flammable, and temperature sensitive products. • Places items appropriately on shelving, pallets on bins so as to ensure adequate safeguards and access. • Ensures product and shelving are marked with corresponding ID numbers. • Ensure items are pulled using the First-In First-out (FIFO) method. • Maintains spreadsheets; works within responsible areas to rotate stock, check for outdates, and maintains the appropriate safeguards and temperature controls. • Works with the Warehouse supervisor and Equipment Inventory Management Specialists to ensure the appropriate disposition of equipment. • Works with the Inventory Management Specialists to ensure timely stocking of primaries, participating in a variety of inventories and communicating discrepancies as appropriate. • Handles direct issue products and ensures each are processed out in a timely fashion, with special attention given to time sensitive and emergency requests. • Makes off-site deliveries in motor vehicles typically with a gross weight not exceeding 26000 Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). • Prepares authorized materials for shipment both small package and bulk. • Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 7:30am-4:00pm Position Description Title/PD#: Materials Handler/PD99806S Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being. Requirements Help Conditions of employment • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 • Subject to background/security investigation • Pre-employment physical required. • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. • Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) • Current, valid, and unrestricted driver's license required. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: • your performance and conduct; • the needs and interests of the agency; • whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and • whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/26/2026. EXPERIENCE: A specific length of training and experience is not required, but you must show evidence of training or experience of sufficient scope and quality of your ability to do the work of this position. Evidence which demonstrates you possess the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform the duties of this position must be supported by detailed descriptions of such on your resume. Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualification Standards. SCREEN-OUT ELEMENT: Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element, which usually appears as question 1 in the on-line questionnaire. Those applicants who appear to possess at least the minimal acceptable qualification requirement are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated. The potential eligibles are then rated against the remainder of the Job Elements: • Dexterity and Safety • Interpret Instructions, Specifications (other than blueprint reading) • Materials • Technical Practices • Without more than normal supervision • Work Practices 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; religions; 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. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. Work involves considerable walking, pushing, and pulling a variety of carts and materials handling equipment. Works offloading and loading trucks, lifting products on and off-shelves, handling boxes frequently weighing over 40 pounds. Will frequently handle equipment, furniture, and materials of an awkward and heavier nature in excess of 100 pounds. These items are typically handled using specialized equipment and/or assistance of co-workers. Greater physical effort may be required on projects involving the movement of large quantities of product over an extended period of time including, but not limited to, turn-ins, large shipments and deliveries. While operating vehicles, may be required to exert a greater level of physical exertion while backing and turning trucks, operating forklifts, or hand trucks on uneven terrains and uncertain conditions. Working Conditions: Required to work in storage buildings, pods, trailers, vehicles and warehouses that may be hot, cold, drafty, and poorly lighted. Employees work outdoors, on docks, making deliveries in all types of weather conditions during all seasons. Hazardous materials may be encountered in daily work activities. Duties will be subject to the possibility of trips, falls, scrapes, cuts, bruises, or injury from the use of equipment. All types of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) may be required. May be subject to conditions that could result in serious accidents; precautions will be taken. Must possess a valid, state driver's license or commercial driver's license (CDL), as applicable, if required to operate a motor vehicle or commercial vehicle. Education This job does not have an education qualification requirement. Additional information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Help A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits. Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.