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Occupation Profile
Selected Criteria:
Occupation: Logisticians Change Occupation
State: Change State
Profile Content: (content listed below) Modify Profile Content
Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities  |  Tasks & Activities  |  Tools & Technology
Related Occupations  |  Web Resources

LOGISTICIANS

Occupation Description

Analyze and coordinate the logistical functions of a firm or organization. Responsible for the entire life cycle of a product, including acquisition, distribution, internal allocation, delivery, and final disposal of resources.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Logisticians are grouped into the following occupations for which the most important knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) are listed.

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Logisticians

Knowledge:

  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  • Transportation - Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

Skills:

  • Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Abilities:

  • Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Source: Occupational Information Network: Logisticians.

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Logistics Analysts

There is no information about knowledge, skills and abilities. This may occur because data has not been collected or because this is a composite occupation (e.g., "All Other").

**************************************************
Logistics Engineers

There is no information about knowledge, skills and abilities. This may occur because data has not been collected or because this is a composite occupation (e.g., "All Other").

Tasks and Activities

Logisticians are grouped into the following occupations for which occupation specific tasks, the most important generalized work activities, and detailed work activities are listed.

**************************************************
Logisticians

Occupation Specific Tasks:

  • Collaborate with other departments as necessary to meet customer requirements, to take advantage of sales opportunities or, in the case of shortages, to minimize negative impacts on a business.
  • Develop an understanding of customers' needs and take actions to ensure that such needs are met.
  • Develop and implement technical project management tools such as plans, schedules, and responsibility and compliance matrices.
  • Develop proposals that include documentation for estimates.
  • Direct and support the compilation and analysis of technical source data necessary for product development.
  • Direct availability and allocation of materials, supplies, and finished products.
  • Direct team activities, establishing task priorities, scheduling and tracking work assignments, providing guidance, and ensuring the availability of resources.
  • Explain proposed solutions to customers, management, or other interested parties through written proposals and oral presentations.
  • Maintain and develop positive business relationships with a customer's key personnel involved in or directly relevant to a logistics activity.
  • Manage subcontractor activities, reviewing proposals, developing performance specifications, and serving as liaisons between subcontractors and organizations.
  • Manage the logistical aspects of product life cycles, including coordination or provisioning of samples, and the minimization of obsolescence.
  • Participate in the assessment and review of design alternatives and design change proposal impacts.
  • Perform system life-cycle cost analysis and develop component studies.
  • Plan, organize, and execute logistics support activities such as maintenance planning, repair analysis, and test equipment recommendations.
  • Protect and control proprietary materials.
  • Provide project management services, including the provision and analysis of technical data.
  • Redesign the movement of goods to maximize value and minimize costs.
  • Report project plans, progress, and results.
  • Review logistics performance with customers against targets, benchmarks and service agreements.
  • Stay informed of logistics technology advances and apply appropriate technology to improve logistics processes.
  • Support the development of training materials and technical manuals.

Generalized Work Activities:

  • Interacting With Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Communicating with Persons Outside Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Detailed Work Activities:

  • analyze market or delivery systems
  • analyze operational or management reports or records
  • analyze scientific research data or investigative findings
  • analyze workflow
  • assist with business or managerial research
  • collect statistical data
  • communicate technical information
  • compile data for financial reports
  • compile numerical or statistical data
  • develop mathematical simulation models
  • develop plans for programs or projects
  • develop policies, procedures, methods, or standards
  • follow statistical process control procedures
  • identify financial risks to company
  • make decisions
  • obtain information from individuals
  • perform statistical modeling
  • plan production processes
  • provide expert testimony on research results
  • select business applications for computers
  • use computers to enter, access or retrieve data
  • use cost benefit analysis techniques
  • use geographical information system (GIS) software
  • use interpersonal communication techniques
  • use knowledge of investigation techniques
  • use long or short term production planning techniques
  • use mathematical or statistical methods to identify or analyze problems
  • use project management techniques
  • use quantitative research methods
  • use relational database software
  • use spreadsheet software

Source: Occupational Information Network: Logisticians.

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Logistics Analysts

Occupation Specific Tasks:

  • Analyze logistics data, using methods such as data mining, data modeling, and cost or benefit analysis.
  • Apply analytic methods and tools to understand, predict, or control logistics operations and processes.
  • Communicate with and monitor service providers, such as ocean carriers, air freight forwarders, global consolidators, customs brokers, and trucking companies.
  • Compute reporting metrics, such as on-time delivery rates, order fulfillment rates, and inventory turns.
  • Confer with logistics management teams to determine ways to optimize service levels, maintain supply-chain efficiency, and minimize cost.
  • Contact carriers for rates or schedules.
  • Contact potential vendors to determine material availability.
  • Determine packaging requirements.
  • Develop and maintain freight rate databases for use by supply chain departments to determine the most economical modes of transportation.
  • Develop and maintain models for logistics uses, such as cost estimating and demand forecasting.
  • Develop and maintain payment systems to ensure accuracy of vendor payments.
  • Enter logistics-related data into databases.
  • Identify opportunities for inventory reductions.
  • Interpret data on logistics elements, such as availability, maintainability, reliability, supply chain management, strategic sourcing and distribution, supplier management, and transportation.
  • Maintain databases of logistics information.
  • Maintain logistics records in accordance with corporate policies.
  • Manage systems to ensure that pricing structures adequately reflect logistics costing.
  • Monitor industry standards, trends, or practices to identify developments in logistics planning or execution.
  • Monitor inventory transactions at warehouse facilities to assess receiving, storage, shipping, or inventory integrity.
  • Prepare reports on logistics performance measures.
  • Provide ongoing analyses in areas such as transportation costs, parts procurement, back orders, and delivery processes.
  • Recommend improvements to existing or planned logistics processes.
  • Review procedures such as distribution and inventory management to ensure maximum efficiency and minimum cost.
  • Track product flow from origin to final delivery.
  • Write or revise standard operating procedures for logistics processes.

Generalized Work Activities: No information about "Generalized Work Activities" for this occupation is available.

Detailed Work Activities: No information about "Detailed Work Activities" for this occupation is available.

Source: Occupational Information Network: Logistics Analysts.

**************************************************
Logistics Engineers

Occupation Specific Tasks:

  • Analyze and interpret logistics data involving customer service, forecasting, procurement, manufacturing, inventory, transportation, or warehousing.
  • Apply logistics modeling techniques to address issues such as operational process improvement and facility design or layout.
  • Conduct logistics studies and analyses, such as time studies, zero-base analyses, rate analyses, network analyses, flow-path analyses, and supply chain analyses.
  • Design plant distribution centers.
  • Determine feasibility of designing new facilities or modifying existing facilities, based on such factors as cost, available space, schedule, technical requirements, and ergonomics.
  • Determine logistics support requirements, such as facility details, staffing needs, and safety or maintenance plans.
  • Develop and maintain cost estimates, forecasts, or cost models.
  • Develop metrics, internal analysis tools, or key performance indicators for business units within logistics.
  • Develop specifications for equipment, tools, facility layouts, or material-handling systems.
  • Direct the work of logistics analysts.
  • Evaluate effectiveness of current or future logistical processes.
  • Identify cost-reduction and process-improvement opportunities.
  • Identify or develop business rules and standard operating procedures to streamline operating processes.
  • Interview key staff or tour facilities to identify efficiency-improvement, cost-reduction, or service-delivery opportunities.
  • Prepare or validate documentation on automated logistics or maintenance-data reporting and management information systems.
  • Prepare production strategies and conceptual designs for production facilities.
  • Propose logistics solutions for customers.
  • Provide facility and capacity planning analyses for distribution and transportation functions in logistics.
  • Provide logistics technology and information for effective and efficient support of product, equipment, or system manufacturing or service.
  • Review contractual commitments, customer specifications, or related information to determine logistics and support requirements.

Generalized Work Activities: No information about "Generalized Work Activities" for this occupation is available.

Detailed Work Activities: No information about "Detailed Work Activities" for this occupation is available.

Source: Occupational Information Network: Logistics Engineers.

Tools and Technology

Logisticians  View Detailed Report

Tools:

  • Desktop computers - Desktop computers
  • High capacity removable media drives - Universal serial bus USB flash drives
  • Liquid crystal display projector - Liquid crystal display LCD video projectors
  • Personal computers - Personal computer platforms, Personal computers, Workstation platforms
  • Semiconductor testers - Teradyne Catalyst, Teradyne J750 testers

Technology:

  • Accounting software - Intuit QuickBooks
  • Enterprise resource planning ERP software - Oracle E-Business Suite, SAP ERP
  • Inventory management software - Radio frequency identification RFID software, Warehouse management software
  • Procurement software - Order management software, Purchasing software
  • Spreadsheet software - Microsoft Excel

Source: Occupational Information Network: Logisticians.

Related Occupation Profiles
Occupations with similar skill requirements

There is no information about Related Occupations. This may occur because data has not been collected or because this is a composite occupation (e.g., ""All Other"").

Web Resources

The following resources are related to occupations in the job family
Business and Financial Operations

Business Operations Specialists
Financial Specialists

Business Operations Specialists
Financial Specialists


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