Free packer job description templates for warehouse, food, production, moving, and e-commerce, with FLSA overtime rules and a physical-demands section.
6 free templates by setting: general, warehouse, food, production, mover, and small-business e-commerce, with the FLSA overtime rule, BLS pay data, and a structured physical-demands section generic templates skip. Download as DOCX.
A packer selects, inspects, and packs products for shipment, and it is one of the most common hands-on hires a warehouse, food producer, manufacturer, moving company, or e-commerce shop makes. The job description that brings one in looks simple, but the generic templates online skip the three things that actually matter for this role: the real physical demands, the overtime rule that always applies, and honest framing for a small operation where one packer does everything.
At FirstHR, we build for small businesses that hire without an HR department, where the owner writes the posting and the packer is one of the first operations hires. The six templates below cover the role across settings: general, warehouse, food, production, mover, and small-business e-commerce. Each is ready to use. Fill in the bracketed fields and post, and the guide to writing a job description covers the fundamentals behind any posting.
TL;DR
Six free packer job description templates by setting: General, Warehouse/Picker-Packer, Food, Production, Mover, and Small-Business E-Commerce. A packer is a blue-collar role that is always non-exempt and owed overtime over 40 hours a week. The federal occupation reports a median near $35,580 a year, about $17.10 an hour. Download as DOCX, with a physical-demands section built in.
What a Packer Does
A packer selects, inspects, and packs products securely for shipment or storage. The work is hands-on and physical: pulling items, checking quality, packing safely, labeling and weighing cartons, keeping counts, and maintaining a clean, safe area. In a fulfillment warehouse the packer often also picks orders, and the role shifts with the setting.
The closest federal occupation is hand laborers and material movers, which includes hand packers and packagers who package products, label cartons, inspect items for defects, and keep records. The duties vary by setting, from a fast pick-pack line in fulfillment to a food-safety-focused role on a production line. For scoping any role before posting, the guide to defining job responsibilities walks through the process.
Packer Duties and Responsibilities
Packer duties cluster into four areas: packing and quality, orders and accuracy, records and supplies, and safety and area upkeep. A good job description picks the specific duties from each area that match your setting rather than listing every possible task.
Packing and quality
Select, inspect, and pack products securely
Check items for quality and damage
Label, weigh, and seal cartons
Orders and accuracy
Pick orders by list or scanner
Verify SKU, quantity, and accuracy
Meet pack rate and accuracy goals
Records and supplies
Keep counts and records of packed items
Track and restock packing supplies
Stage goods for shipment
Safety and area
Follow safety procedures and use PPE
Keep the packing area clean and organized
Report safety and quality issues
For a warehouse picker-packer the order-accuracy duties dominate; for a food packer, safety and hygiene lead; for a small shop, one person covers all four areas. Scale the list to your operation and products.
Which Template Should You Use?
Pick the template by your setting. The packing core runs through all six, but each one emphasizes the duties, pace, and safety requirements that fit a specific kind of packer role. Use this guide to choose.
General Packer
Any setting, the baseline
The universal version: select, inspect, and pack products for shipment. Start here and adapt to your products, pace, and setting.
Warehouse / Picker-Packer
Fulfillment and pick-pack
For a fulfillment operation: pick orders with a list or RF scanner, verify accuracy, and pack for carrier pickup. Speed and accuracy focused.
Food Packer
Food production line
For food production: pack to standard while following food safety, GMP, and hygiene rules, with PPE and sanitation built in.
Production / Manufacturing
End-of-line packing
For a manufacturing line: pack finished goods to SOP, tend basic packaging equipment, palletize, and stage for shipment.
Mover & Packer
Moving company
For a moving company: pack, wrap, load, and move household or office goods, with a customer-facing, physical, on-site focus.
Small Business / E-Commerce
DTC shop, no dedicated HR
For a small online shop where one person picks, packs, ships, and manages supplies. The wear-many-hats version generic templates skip.
Match the Template to the Setting
General warehouse or unsure: General Packer. Fulfillment and pick-pack: Warehouse / Picker-Packer. Food production: Food Packer. A manufacturing line: Production / Manufacturing. A moving company: Mover & Packer. A small online shop where one person does it all: Small Business / E-Commerce. When in doubt, the General Packer version is the baseline to adapt.
6 Free Packer Job Description Templates
Download all six as a single Word document or copy individual templates. Each one follows the same structure: company and job summary, key responsibilities, qualifications, pay and overtime, and how to apply. Fill in the brackets before you post.
Download All 6 Job Description Templates
General, warehouse, food, production, mover, and small-business e-commerce. All in one DOCX.
Template 1: General Packer
The universal version: select, inspect, and pack products for shipment. Use this for most settings and adapt it to your products and pace.
[Company Name] is a small [e-commerce / online] business hiring a Packer to pick,
pack, and ship our orders. On a small team you will wear a few hats: pull and pack
orders, print shipping labels, manage packing supplies, and help keep our small
warehouse or stockroom organized. This role suits a reliable, detail-focused
person who takes pride in getting orders out right.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Pick, pack, and ship online orders accurately
•Print and apply shipping labels and postage
•Choose right-sized, protective packaging
•Track inventory and reorder packing supplies
•Keep the packing and stock area clean and organized
•Handle returns and reshipments as needed
•Help with light inventory and receiving tasks
•Follow safety procedures and use PPE as required
REQUIRED SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS
•Reliable, organized, and detail-oriented
•Comfortable with shipping software and basic computer tasks
•Able to stand, bend, reach, and lift [up to 50] lbs
•Able to work independently on a small team
•Available for [hours / days]
•High school diploma or equivalent preferred, not always required
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per hour
Overtime: 1.5x the regular rate for hours over 40 per week
To apply, send your resume to __ by _.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Physical Demands and PPE
Packing is physical work, and a good job description states the demands honestly. This is the section most competitor templates handle weakly, yet it is exactly what candidates screen on, so being specific reduces early turnover. Fill in the real requirements for your role across these four areas.
Lifting and carrying
State the real lifting requirement, since this is the single most important physical detail for a packer role and the one candidates screen on. A common standard is the ability to lift up to 50 lbs, but set yours to the actual job: a fulfillment packer may lift 25 to 50 lbs occasionally, while a mover and packer may lift 50 to 75 lbs or team-lift heavier items. Note whether lifting is occasional or frequent, and whether help or equipment is available for heavy items.
Standing, bending, and reaching
Packing is done on your feet. Say how long: most packer roles involve standing for an entire shift, often 8 hours or more, with frequent bending, reaching, twisting, and walking. If the role is on a fast line or a large warehouse floor, say so. Being honest about the physical pace up front reduces early turnover from candidates who did not expect the demand.
Repetitive motion and pace
Packing involves repetitive hand and arm motion at a steady or fast pace, sometimes against a rate target or a moving line. Name any pace or quota expectation, and any repetitive-motion element, so candidates can self-select. This also matters for setting up the role correctly under safety and ergonomics practices.
Environment and PPE
Describe the work environment and required protective equipment. A packer may work in a warehouse that is hot in summer or cold in winter, a refrigerated food facility, or a production line with noise. List the PPE the role requires, such as safety shoes, gloves, hearing protection, or, in food settings, hairnets and aprons, and state that the employer provides required PPE.
Be Specific and Honest About the Physical Demands
The most common reason a new packer quits in the first week is a physical reality the posting did not mention. State the real lifting weight, how long the role stands, the pace or rate expectation, the environment, and the required PPE. A candidate who knows what they are signing up for is far more likely to stay.
Overtime and FLSA Classification
A packer is always non-exempt and owed overtime, and getting this right is the most important compliance point for the role. It is also the part every generic template skips.
A Packer Is Always Non-Exempt (Blue-Collar Rule)
Federal labor rules are explicit that blue-collar workers who perform repetitive manual work with their hands, including production and warehouse workers, are entitled to minimum wage and overtime no matter how highly paid they are, and cannot be exempt (DOL Fact Sheet #17I). A packer is the textbook example, so the role is non-exempt and hourly, with overtime owed at 1.5x the regular rate over 40 hours a week.
Paying a flat salary does not change this; the work itself makes the role non-exempt. Some states add daily overtime and higher minimum wages on top of the federal rule, so check your state. For the full framework, the exempt versus non-exempt guide and the Fair Labor Standards Act overview cover the rules that apply to blue-collar roles like this one. This is general information, not legal advice.
Packer Pay
Packers are paid hourly, with pay varying by region, industry, and setting. Use government data as a baseline, then adjust for your local market.
Median Near $35,580 a Year (BLS)
The federal occupation for hand packers and packagers reported a median wage of about $35,580 a year, roughly $17.10 an hour, based on the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data. For range context, the broader hand laborers and material movers group reported a median near $37,680, with the lowest 10 percent under about $29,780 and the highest 10 percent over about $50,970 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Pay tends to run higher in production and machine-packing roles, in states with higher minimum wages like California, New York, and Washington, and during peak seasons. Set a competitive hourly range for your market, post it where your state requires a range, and budget for overtime, especially during busy periods. The hand-packer occupation is projected to decline modestly long term as warehouses automate, but high turnover keeps hiring demand steady, particularly for small businesses.
Hiring a Packer for a Small Business
A large fulfillment center hires packers into a structured operation with shifts, supervisors, and dedicated HR. A small e-commerce shop, food producer, or local manufacturer has none of that: the owner writes the posting, one packer wears several hats, and the compliance still applies in full. Here is how to write it for that reality.
At a small shop, the packer does more than pack
Most published packer templates are written for large warehouses and fulfillment centers with dedicated roles and shift structures. A small e-commerce shop, a specialty food producer, or a small manufacturer hires a packer with none of that. One person often picks, packs, prints labels, manages supplies, handles returns, and helps with receiving. Pick the responsibilities that match your actual operation. The Small Business / E-Commerce template above is built for exactly this, rather than a large-warehouse job copied down to your size.
A packer is always non-exempt and owed overtime
This is the part the generic templates skip, and it is simple but important. A packer is a blue-collar production worker, and federal rules are explicit that manual workers who perform repetitive operations with their hands are entitled to minimum wage and overtime no matter how they are paid. There is no version of a packer role that is exempt from overtime, so the role is non-exempt and hourly, and you owe overtime at one and a half times the regular rate for any hours over 40 in a week. Paying a flat salary to avoid overtime does not change this. Track hours and pay overtime. This is general information, not legal advice.
Check your state's wage and overtime rules, not just the federal ones
Federal law sets a floor, and several states sit well above it. Some states, including California, set a higher minimum wage and require daily overtime, after 8 hours in a day and double time after 12, on top of the weekly 40-hour rule. New York, Washington, and others set higher minimum wages and additional scheduling or pay rules for warehouse and manufacturing work. Before you post a pay range, check your state and local minimum wage and overtime rules, since you must follow whichever standard is more generous to the employee. This is general information, not legal advice.
Onboarding a packer is mostly safety, paperwork, and getting them productive fast
Packer roles see high turnover and frequent seasonal hiring, so a fast, repeatable onboarding pays off every time. Beyond the signed offer, the I-9, and tax forms, a new packer needs safety orientation, PPE issued, any equipment training such as a pallet jack, and a quick path to productivity on your packing process. FirstHR fits this people side for a small operation: send the offer for e-signature, store the signed offer, safety acknowledgments, and handbook, run a structured onboarding checklist, and track multiple or seasonal packers and their certifications in one place. To be clear about scope, FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not a warehouse or inventory system, and it does not run payroll or administer benefits, so pair it with those providers. Applicant tracking is coming soon.
From Hiring to Onboarding
The job description is step one. Once a candidate accepts, the same document becomes the basis for the offer letter and onboarding, and because packer roles see high turnover and seasonal spikes, a fast, repeatable process pays off every time you hire. Beyond the signed offer, Form I-9, and tax forms, a new packer needs safety orientation and PPE, alongside the usual new hire paperwork.
Send the offer
Confirm the pay, shift, and start date in writing. An offer letter template makes this fast for an hourly packer hire.
Safety and PPE
Run safety orientation, issue PPE, and train on any equipment such as a pallet jack before the first full shift.
Run the paperwork
Form I-9 and tax forms, signed handbook, and safety acknowledgments, all completed and stored on day one.
Track the team
Keep records, certifications, and shift details organized, which matters when you hire multiple or seasonal packers.
A clear first day gets a packer productive fast, so a structured onboarding template helps even for an hourly role. Once your offer is ready, the offer letter template handles the next step. FirstHR connects the offer, signed paperwork, e-signatures, safety acknowledgments, and onboarding workflow in one place so a small operation can manage the full process, including tracking multiple or seasonal packers, from one system. FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not a warehouse or inventory tool, and it does not run payroll or administer benefits, so connect those separately. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
Key Takeaways
A packer selects, inspects, and packs products for shipment; the duties shift by setting across warehouse, food, production, moving, and e-commerce.
Use the template that matches the setting, and combine pick and pack into one picker-packer role for a small operation.
A packer is a blue-collar role that is always non-exempt and owed overtime at 1.5x over 40 hours a week; paying a salary does not change this.
Check your state's minimum wage and daily-overtime rules, since several states exceed the federal floor.
State the physical demands honestly: real lifting weight, standing duration, pace, environment, and PPE, since this is what candidates screen on.
The closest federal occupation reports a median near $35,580, about $17.10 an hour; budget for overtime and seasonal hiring.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a packer do?
A packer selects, inspects, and packs products securely for shipment or storage. The core work is pulling items from inventory, checking them for quality and damage, packing them safely with the right materials, labeling and weighing cartons, keeping accurate counts, and maintaining a clean and safe packing area. In a fulfillment warehouse, a packer often also picks orders using a list or RF scanner. In food production, the packer follows food safety and hygiene rules on a line. At a moving company, the role includes wrapping and loading. At a small e-commerce shop, one packer may pick, pack, label, ship, and manage supplies. The common thread is hands-on, physical work focused on getting products packed accurately, safely, and on time.
What is the difference between a picker and a packer?
They are two steps in the same fulfillment process, and many small operations combine them into one picker-packer role. A picker locates and pulls the items for an order from inventory, often using a pick list or an RF scanner that directs them through the warehouse. A packer takes those items, verifies them against the order, packs them securely in the right packaging, and labels and weighs the carton for shipment. In a large warehouse these are sometimes separate roles to maximize speed, but in a small e-commerce shop or warehouse one person usually does both, which is why picker-packer is such a common combined title. If you need both functions, the warehouse or picker-packer template covers the combined role.
Is a packer exempt or non-exempt under the FLSA?
A packer is non-exempt and entitled to overtime. Federal labor rules are explicit that blue-collar workers who perform repetitive manual work with their hands, including production and warehouse workers, are entitled to minimum wage and overtime pay no matter how they are paid, and cannot be classified as exempt. A packer is the textbook example of this kind of role. That means a packer must be paid at least minimum wage and overtime at one and a half times the regular rate for any hours worked over 40 in a workweek. There is no version of a genuine packer job that is exempt from overtime, and paying a flat salary does not remove the overtime obligation. Some states add daily overtime and higher minimum wages on top of the federal rule. This is general information, not legal advice.
Do I have to pay a packer overtime?
Yes. A packer is a non-exempt, hourly employee, so you owe overtime at one and a half times the regular rate for any hours worked over 40 in a workweek under federal law. This applies regardless of whether you pay by the hour or attempt to pay a flat salary, because the blue-collar nature of the work makes the role non-exempt by default. Several states go further: California, for example, requires daily overtime after 8 hours in a day and double time after 12 hours, and sets a higher minimum wage, while New York, Washington, and others set higher minimum wages and additional rules. You must follow whichever standard, federal or state, is more generous to the employee. The practical step is to track hours accurately and budget for overtime, especially during peak or seasonal periods. This is general information, not legal advice.
How much does a packer make?
Packers are paid hourly, with pay varying by region, industry, and setting. The federal occupation for hand packers and packagers reported a median wage of about $35,580 a year, roughly $17.10 an hour, based on the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data. For range context, the broader hand laborers and material movers group reported a median near $37,680, with the lowest 10 percent under about $29,780 and the highest 10 percent over about $50,970. Pay tends to run higher in production and machine-packing roles and in states with higher minimum wages, such as California, New York, and Washington, and during peak seasons when demand spikes. For a posting, benchmark to your local market and setting, set a competitive hourly range, and remember to budget for overtime. This is general information, not legal advice.
What are the physical requirements for a packer?
Packing is physical work, and the job description should state the requirements honestly. Most packer roles require the ability to stand for an entire shift, often eight hours or more, with frequent bending, reaching, twisting, and walking. Lifting is central: a common standard is the ability to lift up to 50 pounds, though a fulfillment packer might lift 25 to 50 pounds occasionally while a mover and packer may lift 50 to 75 pounds or team-lift heavier items. The work also involves repetitive hand and arm motion, often at a steady or fast pace against a rate target. The environment varies from climate-controlled to hot, cold, or refrigerated, and most roles require PPE such as safety shoes, gloves, or hearing protection, with hairnets and aprons in food settings. Stating these clearly up front reduces early turnover from candidates who did not expect the demand.
What should a packer job description include?
A strong packer job description names the setting up front, whether warehouse, food, production, moving, or small e-commerce, since each has different duties. Include a short company summary, a job summary that makes the hands-on nature clear, and responsibilities grouped into packing and quality, orders and accuracy, records and supplies, and safety. The most valuable parts that generic templates skip are a structured physical-demands section with real lifting and standing requirements and the required PPE, the non-exempt and overtime classification with a note to check your state's wage rules, and honest framing for a small business where one packer wears several hats. State the schedule, including any shift, weekend, or seasonal expectations, and the hourly pay range where your state requires it. Close with an equal opportunity statement and clear apply instructions. This is general information, not legal advice.
Are packer jobs being replaced by automation?
Partly, over the long term, but small-business hiring is less affected. Federal labor projections expect the specific hand-packer and packager occupation to decline modestly over the next decade as warehouses and packaging facilities automate more tasks, and as grocery stores use more self-checkout and pickup. At the same time, the broader group of hand laborers and material movers is projected to grow, and the occupation still sees very high turnover, which means continuous hiring demand even where net employment is flat or declining. For a small e-commerce shop, food producer, or local manufacturer, automation is usually not yet practical at your volume, so hand packing remains the norm and hiring a reliable packer is still very much a real and ongoing need. This is general information, not legal advice.
