Auction Operations Associate – Shipping, Photography & Cataloging Immediate Hire | Westminster, Maryland

B&D Auctions is seeking a dependable, efficient, and detail-oriented Auction Operations Associate to join our team.

This is a hands-on, varied position supporting multiple parts of our auction cycle. Depending on where we are in the sale schedule, the day may include shipping completed auction purchases, photographing and preparing merchandise for an upcoming auction, assisting with cataloging, helping customers during pickup, or supporting the team with house calls and general auction-house operations.

We are looking for someone who can comfortably move between responsibilities, maintain a productive pace, and understand that priorities change throughout the auction cycle.

Shipping & Order Fulfillment

Responsibilities may include:

Carefully packing antiques, collectibles, artwork, and other auction purchases for shipment

Selecting appropriate boxes and packing materials based on the item

Processing shipments efficiently while maintaining accuracy

Matching merchandise to the correct customer orders

Keeping the shipping area organized and stocked

Communicating professionally with customers regarding shipping when needed

Recognizing when fragile, valuable, unusual, or complicated shipments require additional attention

The right candidate understands that good shipping requires both speed and judgment. We need someone who can keep orders moving without becoming careless with customer property.

High-Volume Auction Photography & Cataloging

This is not a traditional photography position focused on styling, artistic composition, or spending extended time on individual pieces.

B&D Auctions typically photographs approximately 2,000 lots per auction with a team, so this role requires someone who can work efficiently, maintain a consistent pace, and make good decisions about where additional time is necessary.

Responsibilities may include:

Photographing auction merchandise clearly, accurately, and efficiently

Maintaining production pace while still producing useful images for online bidders

Identifying which items can be photographed quickly and which pieces require additional photographs or closer attention

Capturing condition issues, signatures, labels, maker's marks, model numbers, damage, provenance information, and other important details

Photographing furniture and larger merchandise

Assisting with basic cataloging and item descriptions

Gathering identifying information from merchandise to assist catalogers

Researching or gathering additional information when directed

Organizing merchandise as it moves through the auction process

Asking questions when something is unclear rather than guessing

We are not looking for someone who already knows everything about antiques. We are looking for someone who can develop the judgment to recognize when an item may be important, unusual, damaged, signed, marked, or otherwise deserving of additional attention.

Curiosity and the willingness to learn are extremely valuable in this position.

Customer Service & Auction Pickup

This position will also interact with our customers and assist with day-to-day auction operations.

Responsibilities may include:

Assisting customers during auction pickup

Locating and retrieving purchased merchandise

Helping customers safely load purchases

Providing friendly and professional customer service

Occasionally answering incoming phone calls and directing them to the appropriate team member

Assisting with U-Haul rentals after training

Recognizing when a customer question or concern should be escalated

Customer service experience is a strong plus. We value someone who can remain professional and helpful while also understanding that they are not expected to know every answer immediately.

We would much rather have an employee ask the right questions than confidently give the wrong answer.

House Calls, Furniture & General Auction Support

Because we are a small, team-oriented auction company, this position may also assist with work outside of the traditional shipping and photography areas.

This may include:

Assisting the team with loading and unloading trucks for house calls and estate pickups

Helping move merchandise safely

Photographing furniture and larger items

Helping organize incoming or outgoing merchandise

Assisting with setup, breakdown, or movement of auction inventory

Supporting other departments when workload shifts

Some house calls involve furniture, boxes, collections, and household contents, so applicants should be comfortable with a physically active work environment.

Cleaning & Shared Responsibilities

Keeping the auction house clean, safe, and organized is a shared responsibility of the entire team.

This position may be expected to help with:

Breaking down boxes and packing materials

Sweeping, cleaning, and mopping work areas

Taking out trash

Organizing shipping and photography stations

Keeping customer pickup areas presentable

Cleaning up after large projects, pickups, or auction days

Helping reset workspaces for the next stage of the auction cycle

Cleaning bathrooms as part of our rotating team responsibilities

We are looking for someone who sees what needs to be done and is willing to help rather than viewing cleaning or organization as someone else's job.

Work Environment

Our auction warehouse is located in a converted older horse barn, and we want applicants to understand the work environment before applying.

We do our best to climate-control the building, but it is still a warehouse. It can be cold during the winter and hot during the summer, particularly when working in warehouse areas, loading trucks, photographing furniture, or moving merchandise.

This is not a traditional office or photography-studio environment. The work can be dusty, busy, physical, and occasionally messy. At the same time, you will get to work with an incredible variety of antiques, collectibles, estate contents, and unusual items that change with every auction.

Applicants should be comfortable dressing appropriately for the season and working in a true warehouse and auction environment.

What We're Looking For

The strongest candidate will be:

Efficient without sacrificing accuracy

Comfortable working in a high-volume production environment

Able to maintain a steady pace throughout the workday

Organized and able to manage multiple tasks

Comfortable changing priorities as the auction cycle changes

Able to recognize when an item or situation requires additional attention

Comfortable using computers and learning new software

Careful when handling fragile, vintage, and valuable merchandise

Comfortable interacting with customers

Willing to ask questions instead of making assumptions

Dependable and able to work independently once trained

Interested in learning about antiques, collectibles, photography, cataloging, and shipping

Comfortable with physical work, including moving merchandise and assisting with truck loading

Comfortable working in changing seasonal temperatures

Willing to help wherever needed as part of a team

Experience in shipping, fulfillment, warehouse operations, e-commerce, photography, antiques, retail, inventory management, or customer service is helpful, but we are willing to train the right person.

Physical Requirements

This is an active auction-house position.

Applicants should be comfortable:

Standing and moving throughout much of the workday

Packing and retrieving merchandise

Moving boxes and auction items

Photographing furniture and larger merchandise

Assisting with loading and unloading trucks

Working in warehouse and customer-facing areas

Working in warmer and cooler temperatures depending on the season

Larger or unusually heavy items are handled as a team.

Opportunity for Growth

This position has room for advancement for the right person.

As an employee gains experience and demonstrates reliability, good judgment, efficiency, and a strong understanding of our auction process, there are opportunities to take on additional responsibilities and develop skills in areas such as cataloging, customer service, shipping operations, auction production, consignments, and other areas of the business.

We value employees who want to learn the auction industry, increase their knowledge, and grow with the company.

About B&D Auctions

B&D Auctions is a locally owned online auction company specializing in antiques, collectibles, estates, and a constantly changing variety of merchandise.

Our team works together to move thousands of items through the auction process, from intake and house calls through photography, cataloging, auction, customer pickup, and shipping.

This is a good fit for someone who enjoys variety, works well at a productive pace, likes learning about unusual merchandise, and takes satisfaction in helping a team get a large amount of work done accurately and efficiently.

We are looking to hire immediately.

If you are dependable, adaptable, comfortable in a fast-moving environment, and interested in learning the auction business, we would love to hear from you.