Grocery Associate FT

Role overview

The Grocery Associate supports the department manager in achieving sales and profit objectives for the department. This role helps keep store shelves stocked, maintains a fresh and appealing shopping experience, and delivers courteous, prompt service that builds customer trust and loyalty. The position also contributes to an inclusive workplace by respecting the diverse backgrounds and experiences of teammates.

Key responsibilities

The role is centered around customer service, merchandising, inventory control, and safety/compliance.

• Create a welcoming environment so customers feel valued and receive help quickly.
• Keep the department set according to merchandising plans and ensure shelves are stocked, rotated, and priced correctly.
• Support product availability by ordering, maintaining cooler/freezer conditions, and keeping planogram integrity intact.
• Help customers locate products or suggest alternatives when needed.
• Work collaboratively with teammates and share relevant company, department, and job information.
• Follow all applicable local, state, federal, and company rules.
• Monitor inventory and stocking conditions, and report discrepancies.
• Check product quality and freshness, then take appropriate action when items do not meet standards.
• Maintain correct product temperatures and preserve required temperature logs in line with policy.
• Uphold food safety, sanitation, productivity, and safety standards at all times.
• Follow USDA, COOL, and Department of Agriculture requirements, including prompt handling of recalls and withdrawals.
• Report unsafe conditions, accidents, illegal activity, theft, fraud, and other safety risks to management.
• Support wage-and-hour compliance and help maintain a strong safety culture in the store.
• Ensure safety training, hazard assessments, and PPE availability are in place and being used properly.
• Keep equipment in safe working order and escalate maintenance or lockout/tagout issues when needed.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

Qualifications and requirements

Candidates should have a high school diploma or GED, strong customer service abilities, and excellent interpersonal, motivational, and communication skills. The employer also requires the ability to work in the United States, successful completion of a pre-employment drug screen and background check, and being at least 18 years old. English is required; Spanish is preferred. Prior relevant experience of 0 to 3 years is expected, with no supervisory experience required.

Work environment and physical demands

This is a retail role with heavy physical demands. The job involves standing and walking on different floor surfaces, repeated hand and foot movements, reaching overhead or at waist height, and lifting, carrying, pushing, or pulling loads as required. You may also need to sit, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, and climb up to 30 feet.

Working conditions can include indoor and outdoor settings, as well as cold, freezing, heated, and wet or humid environments. Safety risks may include slippery or cluttered floors, hazardous equipment, sharp objects, loud noise, dust, fumes, sprays, skin irritants, and hazardous cleaning chemicals.

Typical equipment used includes cleaning tools, office equipment, registers, pricing guns, scales, scanners, racks, carts, pallet jacks, and shopping carts. Preferred equipment includes a baler/compactor and box cutter. Personal protective equipment includes goggles, gloves, and a back brace.

Pulling requirement: 250 lbs. Lifting requirement: 50 lbs.

Schedule and travel

The position involves varied shifts. Travel is occasional, and overnight travel is not expected.

Additional information

The employer values diversity and supports an inclusive environment. All duties listed here are subject to change, and other related responsibilities may be assigned as needed.