Typical duties
- Pick items from locations using a scanner or pick list
- Check items against the order
- Pack goods securely and label cartons
- Move orders to the dispatch area
- Scan and record completed orders
- Replenish pick faces from stock
- Report damaged, missing or wrong stock
- Keep the pick area clear and safe
Skills, licences & tickets
- Accuracy and attention to detail
- Handheld scanner use
- Ability to meet pick-rate targets
- Comfort with lifting and walking on shift
- Basic reading and counting
- Forklift licence is a bonus
A pick packer collects items for customer orders, checks them, packs them and prepares them for dispatch. This pick packer job description explains the work, the targets, the pay and the next steps in a warehouse career.
Pick packers work in distribution centres, ecommerce warehouses and factory stores. Chandler's popular pick packer page gives a short overview, and this entry covers the detail.
What does a pick packer do?
The day starts with orders on a scanner or pick list. The pick packer walks or drives a trolley along the shelving, picks each item and scans it to confirm. At the packing bench they check the order, pack it securely and apply the label.
Between orders, pick packers replenish stock, tidy the area and report damaged or missing items. In busy periods they may be moved between picking, packing and dispatch.
Picking methods
- Single order picking collects each order from start to finish.
- Batch picking collects several orders at once and sorts them later.
- Zone picking has each picker work in one area, with orders passed along.
Skills and tickets employers look for
Employers look for accuracy, reliable attendance and the ability to keep a steady pace. Scanner experience helps, as does a forklift licence if the site uses powered equipment. The WMS and scanner skills guide shows what employers test for.
Pay, hours and employment types
Pick packer work is offered casual, part-time and permanent, with extra hours at peak periods. Pay is usually set by the Storage Services and Wholesale Award or an enterprise agreement. Most awards add a 25 per cent loading for casual work, as the Fair Work guide to casual employment explains.
Jobs and Skills Australia reports median full-time earnings of about $1,366 a week and $34 an hour for packers in May 2025, in its packers profile. Pay depends on the award, the shift and whether the site pays rate-based bonuses.
How to become a pick packer
You rarely need a qualification. Apply for entry level warehouse roles and highlight accuracy, reliability and any scanner or retail experience. After you build a record, you can move into storeperson, forklift or leading hand roles. You can see the kind of work on offer on the pick packer jobs page.
Related Resources
- Warehouse worker resume template
- Warehousing and logistics recruitment in Melbourne
- Warehouse and factory interview preparation pack
- First day as a warehouse worker
- Warehouse jobs in Melbourne
- Storage Services and Wholesale Award summary
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need experience to be a pick packer?
Not usually. Employers train new starters on their systems. Accuracy and reliability matter most.
What is a pick rate?
A pick rate is the number of items or lines you are expected to pick in an hour. Sites set different targets, so ask what applies and how it is measured.
Is pick and pack work physically demanding?
Yes. You walk, bend, lift and stand for most of a shift. Employers expect you to follow manual handling rules.
What can a pick packer move into?
Typical next steps are storeperson, forklift driver, dispatch, inventory control and leading hand.
Accuracy First, Then Speed
Employers keep pick packers who get the order right the first time and then build up pace. When you are ready, see current warehouse roles on the job board or submit your CV.
