Buyer/Purchaser

About the role

This position is for the first dedicated buyer at a company building counter-drone systems for defense. You will establish and manage the entire procurement process, from sourcing parts to negotiating with vendors, as the company transitions from prototypes to full production. Your work will directly support the development of critical hardware for the modern battlefield.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Source and acquire all components for robotics, including custom electronics, machined metal, actuators, cables, cameras, and commercial off-the-shelf hardware.
• Locate difficult-to-find and allocated electronic parts like NVIDIA Jetson modules, GPUs, and image sensors, using authorized distributors, direct manufacturer contacts, and vetted secondary markets while mitigating counterfeit risks.
• Manage the quote-to-purchase order cycle, which involves getting and comparing quotes, negotiating prices, payment terms, and delivery times, then placing orders and tracking them to meet build schedules.
• Select vendors in compliance with trade regulations, building a supply chain that excludes Chinese suppliers and prioritizes US vendors, verifying country of origin when necessary.
• Develop all purchasing procedures, including PO workflows, approvals, vendor onboarding, receiving, inspection handoffs, and spend tracking.
• Choose and implement purchasing tools, from initial spreadsheets to an ERP/MRP system for production volumes.
• Maintain the approved vendor list and collaborate with engineering on part numbering, bill of materials accuracy, and approved alternative components.
• Provide company-wide visibility into spending, open orders, lead-time risks, and cost trends to aid planning.
• Shift the supply base from prototype and small-batch orders to production-level purchasing, qualifying vendors for volume, establishing backup sources for key parts, and negotiating volume pricing and blanket orders.
• Plan procurement based on production schedules, ensuring long-lead items are ordered early, safety stock is maintained for high-risk parts, and production lines are not halted due to missing components.
• Work with engineering to maintain the bill of materials for production, monitoring component lifecycles, managing end-of-life parts, and finding cost reduction opportunities.
• Ensure procurement adheres to ITAR regulations and maintain necessary documentation, such as country-of-origin records and vendor certifications.
• Screen the supply chain to avoid prohibited sources (e.g., NDAA Section 889 entities) and prevent Chinese-origin content in products.
• Guard against counterfeit components by primarily using authorized channels and applying strict vetting for secondary market purchases.

Requirements

• 5 or more years of experience in procurement or purchasing for physical hardware products, such as robotics, defense, aerospace, automotive, or industrial equipment.
• Demonstrated ability to source scarce and allocated electronic components, including GPU modules, embedded compute, or image sensors, understanding authorized distribution and the broker market while avoiding counterfeits.
• Experience purchasing across various categories, including custom PCB assemblies, machined metal parts, actuators/motors, cable assemblies, and cameras or sensors.
• Experience supporting a product's transition from prototype or low-volume production to full production purchasing, including vendor qualification, volume negotiation, and lead-time planning.
• A history of creating or significantly shaping purchasing processes, rather than just operating within existing systems.
• Ability to work independently as the sole member of a department, setting priorities and resolving issues without constant managerial oversight.
• Strong negotiation skills with vendors of all sizes, from large corporations to small machine shops.
• Must be a US person (citizen or lawful permanent resident) for ITAR compliance.

Nice to have

• Experience in a defense or ITAR-regulated environment, with familiarity with NDAA Section 889, country-of-origin verification, and government customer requirements.
• Experience selecting or implementing an ERP/MRP system in a growing hardware company.
• Existing relationships with electronics distributors (e.g., Arrow, Avnet, Digi-Key, Mouser), embedded-compute vendors, and domestic machine shops or contract manufacturers.
• Experience with formal supplier qualification, audits, or purchasing in an AS9100/ISO 9001 certified environment.
• Experience at an early-stage startup, comfortable with ambiguity and building processes as the company grows.

Skills & tools

• Procurement
• Vendor management
• Negotiation
• Supply chain management
• ERP/MRP systems (implementation experience preferred)
• Microsoft Teams (for virtual interviews)

Practical notes

This role is based onsite in Austin, TX, within an active R&D and manufacturing facility for weapons systems. Expect proximity to live-fire testing and strict adherence to safety protocols. Occasional travel for vendor visits, audits, and industry events may be required. The interview process includes an initial phone screen, a virtual interview, and an onsite interview.