R&D Procurement Specialist

Responsibilities

Procure technical components, materials, equipment, and services supporting R&D, prototype, testing, and manufacturing activities.

Partner with Engineering, Program Management, Manufacturing, and Finance to translate technical requirements, build schedules, and budget inputs into sourcing and purchasing plans.

Identify, evaluate, onboard, and manage suppliers supporting complex hardware, electronics, RF/radar, and technology development efforts.

Solicit and analyze quotations, negotiate pricing and delivery terms, and issue purchase orders in alignment with program needs and internal approvals.

Monitor supplier performance, delivery schedules, cost impacts, and procurement risks; proactively escalate constraints that may affect program milestones.

Support long-lead material planning, alternate sourcing, and supply chain risk mitigation for prototype builds and low-volume production.

Collaborate with Engineering and Manufacturing to support prototype builds, test events that will translate to NPI ramp up activities

Maintain accurate procurement records and support compliance with company policies, contractual requirements, and applicable government procurement requirements.

Help improve procurement workflows, cost controls, data accuracy, and supply chain resilience as the organization scales.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, Operations, or a related field, or equivalent experience.

U.S. citizenship and the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Personnel Security Clearance.

5+ years of procurement, sourcing, purchasing, or supply chain experience in a technical, engineering-focused, or hardware development environment.

Experience procuring specialized technical components, electronics, RF/radar hardware, test equipment, fabricated parts, or engineering services.

Ability to manage competing procurement priorities and time-sensitive purchases in a fast-paced, ambiguous development environment.

Experience soliciting quotes, evaluating supplier proposals, negotiating pricing and lead times, and issuing purchase orders.

Intermediate proficiency with Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables, lookup functions, formulas, filtering, sorting, and data analysis.

Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.

Proficiency with ERP, procurement, and inventory management systems.

Excellent communication skills and ability to work effectively with engineering, manufacturing, finance, and program stakeholders. .

Preferred Qualifications

Experience supporting R&D, aerospace, defense, radar, RF, electronics, or advanced manufacturing organizations.

Familiarity with sourcing electronic components, RF hardware, test equipment, custom fabricated parts, and specialized engineering materials.

Experience supporting government-funded programs and associated procurement requirements, including FAR/DFARS flow-down awareness where applicable.

Knowledge of supplier quality management, obsolescence management, and supply chain risk mitigation practices.

Experience supporting prototype development, new product introduction (NPI), engineering change processes, or low-volume production environments.

Experience supporting classified programs and secure supply chain environments.

Within 1 month, you'll:

Complete onboarding and learn LeoLabs' procurement workflows, ERP and procurement systems, approval processes, supplier base, and material flow.

Build relationships with the Associate Inventory Manager and key stakeholders across Engineering, Manufacturing, and Supply Chain.

Learn active R&D programs, prototype build needs, key suppliers, long-lead materials, and current procurement risks.

Within 3 months, you'll:

Manage procurement activity for select R&D, prototype, or program workstreams from requirements intake through purchase order issuance and delivery follow-up.

Identify and communicate supplier risks, lead-time constraints, cost impacts, and material shortages that could affect development, test, or build schedules.

Maintain accurate procurement status updates, records, and escalation paths for assigned suppliers and purchasing activity.

Within 6 months, you'll:

Independently own procurement execution for multiple R&D and prototype workstreams, including supplier communication, quote analysis, purchase order management, and schedule tracking.

Develop proactive sourcing strategies for long-lead, high-risk, or specialized technical materials to reduce schedule risk.

Support supplier performance reviews, alternate-source identification, and risk mitigation plans for critical materials or services.

Within 12 months, you'll:

Serve as a trusted procurement partner for Engineering and Supply Chain stakeholders across R&D builds, NPI activities, and production readiness milestones.

Establish scalable procurement practices for technical sourcing, supplier engagement, and material readiness as programs increase in complexity and volume.

Drive measurable improvements in supplier responsiveness, lead-time visibility, purchasing accuracy, and procurement cycle time.