Evaluating The “Best” Jobs Across Amazon Warehouse

Amazon is one of the biggest companies in the country, employing over 1,000,000 L1 associates, so it won’t surprise you to hear that there are many different roles within each of Amazon’s warehouses. 

Additionally, there are 3 main different types of Amazon warehouses, each serving a different function - further increasing the variety of roles available at Amazon.

In this post, we’ll take a look at Amazon’s warehouse jobs, and which ones may best fit your preferences.

What jobs are there at Amazon?

As you might have guessed, which jobs will be available at a certain warehouse completely depends on what type of warehouse it is. 

While there are others, this post will be focusing on 3 main types: Fulfillment Centers (FCs), Sortation Centers (SCs), and Delivery Stations (DSs).

At Fulfillment Centers (FCs)

Fulfillment Centers are where a package’s journey begins at Amazon. Items are unloaded from trucks, scanned into the system, stowed, packaged, and transported to other Amazon sites (typically to an SC) to be further distributed. An entry level Amazon employee working at an FC is known as an FC associate. 

Some of the most common jobs at an FC are Pickers, Stowers, Receive Dock & Ship Dock, Packers, Waterspiders, Counters, & Problem Solvers.

At Sortation Centers (SCs)

Sortation Centers are the next step in an Amazon package’s journey after it leaves an FC. Here, packages are sorted by destination and then sent out to local Delivery Stations. An entry level Amazon employee working at an SC is known as an SC associate. 

Some of the most common jobs at an SC are Unloaders, Scanners, Waterspiders, Stagers, Loaders, & Problem Solvers.

At Delivery Stations (DSs)

Delivery Stations are the final step in the journey of an Amazon package. Packages are received from SCs, scanned into the system, sorted by delivery route, then loaded into Amazon delivery vans. An entry level Amazon employee working at a DS is known as a DS associate. 

Some of the most common jobs at a DS are Stower, Pick-to-Buffer, Picker, Unloader, Inducter, and Waterspider.

What makes a “good” job?

There are many factors that go into each person’s individual calculation of how good a certain Amazon warehouse job is by their standards, and the relative importance of these factors vary among different people. 

When two different people with different values and preferences look at the same job at Amazon, one could consider it the best job in the warehouse while the other considers it the worst. As a result, there is no job that is objectively the best- but there are jobs that are the best for people with certain preferences. 

We have put together some lists of which jobs best match which preferences. Note that any job not appearing on either list (the “low” list or the “high” list) for a certain preference is somewhere in the middle).

Strenuousness/Physical Activity

Low Physical Difficulty

Many people like jobs that require a minimal amount of physical activity. While most jobs at Amazon require some level of physical work, some are easier than others in this regard. Some jobs with a low level of physical difficulty are:

• Picker (FC)
• Counter (FC)
• Splitter (SC)
• Diverter (DS) (depending on volume)
• Inducter (DS)
• Problem Solver (FC, SC, DS)

High Physical Difficulty

Conversely, some people enjoy physically challenging roles in which they get a lot of exercise. Those who excel in these roles are in luck, as there are many jobs at Amazon that require a lot of physical activity. Some jobs with a high level of physical difficulty are:

• Receive Dock & Ship Dock (FC)
• Picker (DS)
• Diverter (DS) (depending on volume)
• Unloader (SC, DS)
• Waterspider (FC, SC, DS)

Justin James, a T1 Delivery Station Associate, tells us that while Diverters don’t do much walking or moving around the warehouse, their job can get very physical if the DS is inducting at a higher rate, especially when a lot of heavy packages are coming down the conveyor belt. 

This is why Diverter is listed under both low and high physical difficulty- it can fall under either category depending on the package volume and the average weight of incoming packages.

Difficulty of Work

Low Complexity

Many people enjoy working in roles with little complexity, in which they pretty much just do the same thing over and over again. 

There are many reasons why people prefer this type of job, some examples being: little thinking required, low amounts of stress, and low chances of receiving a productivity write up. Some jobs with a low level of complexity (and/or a high degree of repetitiveness) are:

• Stower (FC)
• Counter (FC)
• Splitter (SC)
• Stager (SC)
• Diverter (DS)
• Stower (DS)
• Unloader (DS)

High Complexity

Some people find themselves extremely bored in low-complexity roles, and would rather work a job that involves more critical thinking. Some jobs with a high level of complexity (and/or a low degree of repetitiveness) are:

• SLAM Operator (FC)
• Picker (FC)
• Inbound Flats (FC) 
• PIT Equipment Operator (FC)
• Picker (DS)
• Waterspider (FC, SC, DS)
• Problem Solver (FC, SC, DS)

Interaction With Others

Some thrive surrounded by other people, while others would prefer to spend their entire shift alone. Amazon warehouses have jobs for both of these types of people.

Note that the Problem Solver role can have either lots of interpersonal interaction or none at all, depending on how they want to work.

Minimal Interaction with Others:

• Picker (FC)
• Counter (FC)
• Inducter (FC)
• Splitter (SC)
• Stager (SC)
• Diverter (DS)
• Stower (DS)
• Pick-to-Buffer (DS)

Lots of Interaction with Others:

• Receive Dock & Ship Dock (FC)
• Unloader (SC)
• Unloader (DS)
• Waterspider (FC, SC, DS)

Job Security, Stress

Extra Job Security, High Stress

Some types of roles, namely indirect roles and critical roles, confer extra job security on the holder. 

These jobs require extra training and/or certification, and there is typically only a certain number of people qualified to do each of these jobs present at the warehouse at any given time. 

The main downside to taking on one of these roles is the extra stress and responsibility: if you don’t do your job right, it affects everyone else too. Some of these roles that provide extra job security include:

• SLAM Operator (FC)
• Inbound Flats (FC)
• Inducter (DS)
• Waterspider (FC, SC, DS)
• Problem Solver (FC, SC, DS)

No Extra Job Security, Low Stress 

Conversely, there are many roles that are easily replaceable and don’t affect others outside of their process path in the event of bad performance. 

While you may have less job security working in one of these roles, you will also have less stress. Some of these low-stress roles include:

• Picker (FC)
• Stower (FC)
• Packer (FC)
• Receive Dock & Ship Dock (FC)
• Unloader (SC)
• Splitter (SC)
• Scanner (SC)
• Diverter (DS)
• Pick-to-Buffer (DS)
• Stower (DS)

Pay

All L1 roles on a given site and shift pay the same amount, whether you’re a Stower or a Problem Solver.

It’s worth noting that there are some ways to increase your pay (namely shift differential and seniority).

How do I pick my role when hired at Amazon?

Unfortunately, there isn’t an easy way to guarantee you receive a certain role. 

First, different warehouse types have different roles, and you may be limited in which types of warehouse you have within commute range (for example, if the only Amazon warehouse near you is an FC, all SC and DS roles are ruled out for you) or in which types of warehouse are hiring near you (for example, if there’s an FC & a DS near you, but only the DS is hiring, you’ll have to work a DS role).

Second, when becoming an Amazon associate, you don’t choose a specific role. You apply to a specific Amazon warehouse associate role (FC Associate, SC Associate, or DS associate), go through the hiring process , and then the business needs of the Amazon site you’re working at dictate which role(s) you will be placed in. 

Additionally, depending on the site, you may rotate between different roles often. GigWolf reviewer Justin tells us that this practice is employed at his DS, meaning all associates are assigned to a different role each day.

However, you may be able to ask your Operations staff to cross-train you in another role (or even transfer you to another role/department entirely). Amazon warehouse site management are typically happy to accommodate such a request- assuming business needs allow for it- as they are aware that happy staff are more productive. 

Shane Lynch , an Associate located in Connecticut, says that Amazon managers love to hear from associates that they’re willing to crosstrain, and will therefore almost always allow it.

If you don’t like the role/department you’re initially placed in, you always have the option to transfer.

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