Senior Buyer

Honeybee Robotics has been at the forefront of robotics for over 40 years, establishing ourselves as pioneers in developing novel exploration systems for the most extreme planetary environments. At our Southern California location, we look to "Touch Life" by supporting planetary science, including every NASA Mars rover since Spirit and Opportunity. We aim to "Mine the Sky" through the development of practical In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) solutions. We search for technically brilliant individuals in engineering, software, and support fields who take ownership of their work, enjoy collaborating in teams, and have a laser focus on the details that drive excellence.

Honeybee Robotics is seeking an experienced Senior Buyer to join our growing team. Working closely with our engineers, you will source and procure finished components and raw materials that meet detailed specifications. You will establish a vendor network that provides exceptional quality and on-time delivery. You will collaborate with our quality engineers to establish effective validation strategies. As a valued subject matter expert supporting a technical program, you will proactively identify, discuss, and mitigate risks to ensure Honeybee's success.  

Responsibilities:

• Conduct sourcing activities, aligning commodity strategies with supplier selection for new products and technologies, including making sourcing decisions based on engineering specifications, legal requirements, and quality standards.
• Implement Design for Manufacture (DFM) processes with early supplier engagement to ensure smooth design evolution.
• Coordinate with Engineering to align design changes with manufacturing lead times.
• Place and manage purchase orders, communicating status to program teams and resolving any deviations or technical issues
• Develop strong supplier relationships and a capable network of suppliers and partners.
• Negotiate with vendors considering lead times, capacity, delivery, and payment terms.
• Identify and resolve supply issues to meet business commitments.
• Capture and report material costs
• Update MRP with accurate purchased part planning parameters.
• Resolve problems while following procedures and compliance.
• Regularly communicate status and issues to stakeholders.
• Support new business proposals with informed estimates.
• Monitor costs and recommend cost reduction approaches to meet financial objectives.
• Manage returns to vendors as needed.

Required Qualifications:

• Education in supply chain management, business, or related field and 4+ years of purchasing experience in aerospace manufacturing
• Working knowledge to comply with legal requirements (e.g., SOX, ITAR, FAR, DFAR, etc.)
• Experience with AS9100
• Solid understanding of purchase-related terms and conditions related to quality, schedule, price, delivery, payment, etc.
• Experience working with an ERP/MRP system
• Professional, articulate communication style with a collaborative, results-oriented approach

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings
• Ability to resolve conflict and deal diplomatically with vendors, managers, and customers
• Good organizational skills and ability to establish priorities and work to specific deadlines with minimum supervision

Compensation and Benefits:

• Employee Benefits include medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, and short and long-term disability.
• 401(k) with immediate vesting and a 6% company match (100% on the first 3% and 50% on the next 3%)
• Education Reimbursement for certificate, undergraduate, and graduate programs
• Paid Time Off includes up to 3 weeks per year, paid sick leave, paid parental leave, two floating, and 11 company holidays.

$81,500 - $112,000 a year

We offer a flexible salary range for this job posting that will be customized based on the qualifications of the chosen candidate. Our compensation strategy takes into account various factors, including education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, internal equity, and market alignment. The position is available at multiple levels, and the corresponding salary ranges are as follows:

Buyer III: $81,500 - $100,000

Buyer IV: $96,700 - $113,000

See your work make an impact on some of the most exciting space missions, including major subsystems of NASA's upcoming Dragonfly, VIPER, and Mars Sample Return missions. Work alongside with the best and the brightest, including our partners across the aerospace industry. In a few short years, your contributions will allow you to point to Mars, the Moon, or Saturn's moon Titan, and say, "I did that!"