DAVENPORT, Iowa — Amazon is in the process of hiring more than 1,000 employees to staff their new Davenport distribution center.
According to a listing on the website Indeed.com, more than 1,000 positions for 'fulfillment associate' are open at a hiring event in Davenport on Friday, Sept. 22. 4,000 interview slots are available for the event.
The hiring event will be held at the Starlite Ballroom at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds, located at 2815 Locust St. in Davenport. The event runs from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
News Eights Joe McCoy spoke to the hundreds of job seekers in line about the potential opportunity, including one man who is one of the more than 200 workers John Deere announced will be indefinitely laid off in October.
"I'd go to Amazon if they'd hire me," Brock Seiler said. "It was hard because it was like I have two kids and a family and we just got a new house, so it's a lot to take in. And so now it's time to find another job really quick."
People talked about how it's been hard to find a job since the pandemic. "It'd be a great opportunity," said Amy Cox. "I think that it would be beneficial to the Quad Cities as a whole. I'm looking forward to hopefully getting a job, they're hard to find these days."
Other people have a job, but said the position at Amazon offers better pay and benefits than their current position. Job seeker Tiana Campbell said she already has a job at a security firm, but the additional pay from Amazon would allow her to put her sons in after-school programs.
The associate positions are listed at $16.50 an hour for both part-time and full-time employment. The listing says that shifts are flexible and may include overnight, early morning, days, evenings, and weekends.
No experience is needed but candidates must be 18 years old or older, with "the ability to understand and adhere to all job requirements and safety guidelines."
Employees who are hired to work in the Davenport fulfillment center will be selecting, packing, and shipping orders. The role is described as fast-paced and physical.
The job listing lists the following duties and responsibilities:
- Receive and put away inventory
- Get customer orders ready and pack them up
- Load boxes into trucks for shipment
- Use scanners to read bar codes on products
- View prompts on screens and follow the directions for some tasks
- Troubleshoot problems
- Ensure product meets quality requirements
- Operate power industrial trucks (PIT) such as a forklift or pallet driver, and work at heights up to 35 feet. Equipment training and certification are provided free of cost.
Physical demands of the job include:
- Lift up to 49 pounds
- Push utility carts up to 60 pounds
- Stand, walk, push, pull, squat, bend, and reach during shifts
- Use carts, dollies, hand trucks, and other gear to move items around
- Go up and down stairs (where applicable)
- Work at a height of up to 40 feet on a mezzanine (where applicable)
- Adhere to strict safety, quality, and fulfillment production standards
The opening date of the Davenport facility is unclear. Previous emails sent to company representatives in mid-August by News 8 were not returned.
Click here to see the link to the full job listing.
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