my @line_format = (
    [ 'ssn',        qr/(\d{9})/ ],
    [ 'emp_num',    qr/(\d+)/ ],
    [ 'emp_name',   'COUNT' ],
    [ 'hire_date',  qr/(\d{8})/ ],
    [ 'city',       'COUNT' ],
    [ 'state',      qr/([A-Z]{2})/ ],
    [ 'city',       'COUNT' ],
    [ 'zip',        qr/(\d{5})/ ],
);

##</code><code>##

sub parse_line {
    my ($line, $linenum) = @_;

    my %parsed = ( );

    foreach my $format (@line_format) {
        my ($label, $expected) = @$format;
        if ($expected eq 'COUNT') {
            # Pull the COUNT off the beginning of the line and apply it
            if ($line !~ s/\s*(\d+) //) {
                die "Error #1 parsing item '$label' (line #$linenum)\n";
            }
            my $count = $1;
            if ($line !~ s/(.{$count})//) {
                die "Error #2 parsing item '$label' (line #$linenum)\n";
            }
            $parsed{$label} = $1;
        } else {
            # Pull of the next non-space word, and test with the regex
            if ($line !~ s/^\s*(\S+)//) {
                die "Error #3 parsing item '$label' (line #$linenum)\n";
            }
            $parsed{$label} = $1;
        }
    }

    return \%parsed;    
}

##</code><code>##

    use Data::Dumper::Concise;
    my $line   = "123445678 45612 11 Steve Smith 11012015 16 1001 Main Street GA 7 Atlanta 30553";
    my $result = parse_line($line, 1);
    die Dumper $result;

##</code><code>##

{
  city => "Atlanta",
  emp_name => "Steve Smith",
  emp_num => 45612,
  hire_date => 11012015,
  ssn => 123445678,
  state => "GA",
  zip => 30553
}