Sr. Buyer

ALTEN Technology USA•San Diego, CA

15h•$80,000 - $105,000

About The Position

We’re ALTEN Technology USA, an engineering company helping clients bring groundbreaking ideas to life—from advancing space exploration and life-saving medical devices to building autonomous electric vehicles. With 3,000+ experts across North America, we partner with leading companies in aerospace, medical devices, robotics, automotive, commercial vehicles, EVs, rail, and more. As part of the global ALTEN Group—57,000+ engineers in 30 countries—we deliver across the entire product development cycle, from consulting to full project outsourcing. When you join ALTEN Technology USA, you’ll collaborate on some of the world’s toughest engineering challenges, supported by mentorship, career growth opportunities, and comprehensive benefits. We take pride in fostering a culture where employees feel valued, supported, and inspired to grow. Position Overview: The Senior Buyer manages and oversees all hardware purchasing and provides exceptional support across supply chain operations to deliver the highest standards of quality, cost, delivery, and continuous Improvement. This role partners closely with Operations, R&D, Engineering, Product and external suppliers to ensure material availability, mitigate risk and support both new product introductions and ongoing production. .

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration or equivalent
5-7 years of prior experience in procurement, purchasing or supply chain operations within the electronics industry
Experience working in mechanical and electrical/sub assembly manufacturing
Expertise in relevant materials, suppliers and sourcing techniques
Working knowledge of passive and active components
Experience working with OEMs, distributors and contract manufacturers
Experience supporting both NPI and product sustainment Deep understanding of new product introduction and product sustainment
Prior experience working with an/or implementing MRP/ERP systems
Intermediate proficiency in Microsoft Excel
Ability to travel up to 10% including internationally
Exceptional negotiation and supplier management skills
Strong interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills
Proactive results-oriented approach to problem-solving
Ability to work in a fast-paced, evolving environment
Proven flexibility in supporting supply chain team members and assuming multiple roles to meet business needs
Strong customer service skills and ownership mentality

Nice To Haves

Working knowledge of international shipment regulations, documentation, HTS codes and logistics processes
Experience in lean manufacturing and/or Six Sigma

Responsibilities

Lead purchasing activities in Operations and R&D Groups in Purchasing, including vendor setup, supplier management, and contract negotiations
Manage strategic supplier relationships; negotiating contractual terms and conditions for pricing, lead times, quality specifications, service levels, and risk mitigation
Procure materials and components at the lowest total cost of ownership while meeting company quality and service standards
Collaborate cross-functionally with Product Management, Sales, Engineering and Operations on demand, availability, lead times and order status
Coordinate with Quality, Shipping, Receiving and Logistics team to resolve supplier quality issues and ensure timely containment and long-term corrective actions
Recommend and implement purchasing policies, processes, and best practices
Control and reduce external spend across a robust supplier base
Identify supply chain risks and implement mitigation strategies to ensure continuity of supply for critical components and services
Support new product introduction (NPI) efforts by sourcing new suppliers, qualifying components, and ensuring procurement readiness for production ramps
Ensure procurement activities comply with legal, ethical, and regulatory requirements, including contract terms and data security standards where applicable
Utilize ERP (Netsuite) and procurement systems to manage purchase orders, contracts, supplier data and spend analysis
Create, analyze and interpret reports to support data-driven decision-making