Job Details

Cargo Service Agent

Saltchuk Aviation is a family of diversified air cargo and aviation services companies. We operate Part 121, 135, and 145 certificates, creating vital connections by serving customers and communities across the U.S. with reliable and efficient aviation services.

Saltchuk Aviation employs over 900 employees in the air cargo, ground handling, aircraft maintenance, aviation logistics, and air freight on-demand charter sectors across five operating companies, transporting over 380 million pounds of freight annually.

Our operating companies and brands include:

• Northern Air Cargo (NAC): The largest all-cargo airline in Alaska since 1956. Operating out of its primary base at the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, NAC serves 13 communities throughout the state, providing safe, reliable cargo services and a place for employees to build long-term careers.
• Northern Air Maintenance Services, LLC (NAMS): A Part 145 certified repair station providing year-round maintenance and ground services to a major oil exploration and production company. NAMS handles all below-wing services, including baggage handling, catering, aircraft servicing, and passenger loading.
• Ryan Air, Inc.: A Part 135 air carrier operating a fleet of 23 aircraft (including Cessna 207s, Cessna 208s, Casa 212s, SAAB 340s, and Pilatus PC-12s). Ryan Air utilizes a hub-and-spoke model to deliver bypass mail, general freight, and passenger services to over 70 villages in rural Alaska.
• Aloha Air Cargo (AAC): The largest air freight carrier in the state of Hawaii, moving approximately 350,000 pounds of diverse cargoincluding perishables and priority packagesper day to all major Hawaiian destinations.
• Aloha Tech Ops (ATO): Provides aircraft maintenance and repair services to several airlines flying to major destinations in Hawaii, executing over 2,000 pre-departure checks monthly.

Compensation and benefits include:

• Pay Rate: $20.25/hour
• Insurance: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance programs.
• Company-Provided Benefits: Life insurance, short-term and long-term disability, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Retirement: Competitive 401(k) match program with a zero-day vesting period.
• Bonuses: Annual performance bonus and regular salary review programs.
• Paid Time Off: Competitive PTO, personal days, and recognized federal holidays.
• Reimbursements: Wellness/fitness, transportation, and tuition reimbursement up to $5,250 annually.
• Perks: Extensive employee discount programs with major national retailers.

The Cargo Service Agent plays a vital role in our daily operations, ensuring the efficient acceptance, consolidation, loading, and unloading of air freight through physical teamwork and the skilled operation of ground handling equipment. All duties are executed in strict alignment with Northern Air Cargo policies to maintain systematic, highly organized, and safe processes. Work assignments are dynamically divided between ramp and warehouse environments.

Responsibilities include:

• Safely and efficiently load and unload inbound and outbound air cargo shipments to ensure timely departures to their proper destinations.
• Enthusiastically greet and assist customers with unloading freight from delivery vehicles using specialized material handling equipment, including non-powered tools, electric pallet jacks, and forklifts.
• Complete, verify, and process all required shipping documentation accurately, courteously, and in a timely manner.
• Meticulously verify customer freight against receiving documents, perform data entry, and apply labels; weigh and describe cargo, conduct required security inspections, and process specialized paperwork for Dangerous Goods to ensure cargo is fully air-eligible.
• Strictly comply with all cargo acceptance policies and procedural guidelines outlined in the Cargo Service Agent manuals, adhering to all regulatory requirements.
• Maintain a secure and hazard-free environment within the cargo facility at all times by championing safety and security protocols.
• Proactively communicate and document safety concerns, operational irregularities, challenges, and team successes to management.
• Reference cargo manifests to effectively consolidate, stage, and assemble outgoing shipments.
• Perform the manual or forklift-assisted breakdown, build-up, and tie-down of freight into and out of Unit Load Devices (ULDs).
• Execute precision aircraft loading and unloading utilizing both powered and non-powered ground handling equipment, including forklifts, K-loaders, belt loaders, tugs, dollies, and baggage carts.
• Safely operate company vehicles to transport cargo to and from various airport facilities.
• Manage the timely pickup and delivery of standard and priority mail to and from the Airport Mail Facility.
• Perform other dynamic operational duties as assigned to support the team.

Position requirements include:

• Must be at least 18 years of age.
• High School Diploma or equivalent certification.
• Must possess a valid driver's license with a clean, insurable driving record.
• A basic understanding of air cargo or logistics operations is preferred.
• Successfully pass a pre-employment drug screening.
• Successfully pass a comprehensive 10-year background check.
• Must maintain legal authorization to work in the United States.
• Must successfully complete SIDA training to obtain airport authority security identification badges.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize a daily workload and manage time effectively.
• Outstanding interpersonal and customer service skills.
• Ability to adapt quickly and positively to frequent changes in a fast-paced workplace.
• Strong basic mathematical skills.
• Proven ability to work exceptionally well both independently and within a collaborative team environment.
• Flexibility to work weekends (including Friday, Saturday, and Sunday), holidays, and variable scheduled days off.
• Strong situational awareness with the ability to identify safety risks and operational hazards.
• Commitment to successfully completing all required basic and recurrent training programs.
• Ability to read, comprehend, and follow complex regulations, policies, and procedures across federal, state, and local levels.
• Strict compliance with Company uniform requirements, including high-visibility outerwear (which is provided by the company).
• Approved safety footwear is required for this role.

Language and communication skills include:

• Active verbal communication throughout the workday with customers, stakeholders, and co-workers is required.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong hearing capabilities are required to ensure safe, effective communication in a loud airport environment.

Work environment includes:

• Work is physically performed across a variety of areas, including the warehouse, inside aircraft hulls, outdoors, and live flightline ramps.
• Regular exposure to diverse and adverse weather conditions (including extreme Arctic cold, heat, wet surfaces, and icy conditions).
• Frequent exposure to high noise levels, dirt, dust, and mechanical fumes typical of an active ramp.
• Potential exposure to regulated hazardous materials.
• Working closely around stationary and moving aircraft.
• Frequent operation on or around heavy industrial equipment.
• Consistent use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is required.

Physical effort includes:

• This position is classified as "heavy" regarding physical demands.
• Must be able to occasionally lift, push, and pull up to 100 lbs to safely load and offload freight.
• Excellent visual acuity is required to safely perform all technical duties and operational tasks.
• Frequent use of hands and fingers to handle tools, operate machinery, and manipulate freight components.
• Ability to frequently stand, walk, sit, reach with hands and arms, climb/balance on ladders and stairs, stoop, kneel, and crouch.
• Minimal crawling required.

The intent of this description is to provide a representative summary of the major responsibilities performed and results expected by persons assigned to this job. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, efforts