Amazon plans to add 3,000 more jobs in Arizona expansion

Amazon.com, which already employs more than 17,500 people in Arizona, plans to add another 3,000 permanent jobs in the state as it gears up for what could be a robust holiday shopping season.

Amazon, which entered Arizona in 2007 with its first 300 employees, expects to open 11 new buildings in the state in 2020, said Lisa Guinn, a company spokeswoman.

Amazon has operations in Phoenix, the West Valley, East Valley, Tucson and elsewhere. That includes a massive fulfillment and shipping center in west Phoenix with a footprint of 1.2 million square feet or roughly 28 football fields, she said.

Start the day smarter. Get all the news you need in your inbox each morning.

The online-retailing giant also plans to hire 100,000 full- and part-time workers across the nation, with pay starting at $15 an hour and medical and dental insurance, company-provided retirement contributions and other benefits beginning on the first day of employment, in addition to tuition assistance and career-development programs.

© David Wallace/The Republic
The Amazon Fulfillment Center – PHX6 in Phoenix on Sept. 14, 2020.

Amazon also is looking to fill various part-time positions in Arizona in anticipation of a holiday-shopping season commencing in November that could be its busiest yet.

Amazon’s business was booming even before the COVID-19 pandemic shut many retail locations and encouraged more people to shop from the comfort and relative safety of their homes.

The company earned $16.9 billion in net income on revenue of nearly $322 billion over its four most recent quarters.

Open positions around Arizona include those in shipping, logistics and packaging of customer orders. Potential applicants can learn about open positions at amazon.com/apply.

The company is looking to hire candidates who have at least a high school diploma or equivalent and the ability to pass a background check, Guinn said.

“There are still a lot of people who were furloughed or lost their jobs at restaurants or other retailers who can get benefits and starting pay (at Amazon) of at least $15 an hour,” she said.

Amazon’s facilities are subject to enhanced cleaning, social distancing, the use of masks and other protective equipment to minimize risks from COVID-19.

Reach the reporter at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Amazon plans to add 3,000 more jobs in Arizona expansion