Technical Inventory and Procurement Specialist

Job Summary

Our department is the heart of our testing and development—a high-energy environment where hardware and software converge. We are seeking a Technical Procurement & Inventory Specialist to lead our supply chain efforts and manage the physical lifecycle of our robotic assets. This is a senior-level hybrid role designed for a strategic thinker who can balance high-level vendor negotiations with the hands-on organization of a technical lab.

The role is a 50/50 split between Strategic Procurement and Advanced Inventory Management. As a senior member of the team you will not only execute these tasks but also design the processes select the tools and mentor future junior-to-mid-level hires to ensure our operations scale with our technological ambitions.

• End-to-End Purchasing: Lead the procurement of VR hardware manipulation items environmentals and additional equipment.
• Vendor Strategy: Identify and vet global suppliers. Negotiate pricing and delivery schedules to ensure cost-efficiency and reliability.
• BOM Management: Partner with Engineering leads to analyze complex Bills of Materials (BOMs) forecasting needs to prevent project bottlenecks.
• Risk Mitigation: Proactively identify supply chain vulnerabilities (e.g. product discontinuation) and develop alternative sourcing strategies.
• Budget Oversight: Manage departmental spending providing reports to Finance and Operations on project-specific hardware costs.

• Department Infrastructure: Design and maintain the physical layout and digital tracking systems for the department ensuring 100% visibility of mission-critical assets.
• ERP Leadership: Serve as the power-user for our ERP/MRP systems optimizing workflows for kitting tracking and auditing.
• Complex RMA Oversight: Manage the high-level Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) process for expensive or mission-critical failures escalating issues with vendor engineering teams as needed.
• Process Standardization: Develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for receiving inspecting and distributing hardware across the department.
• Auditing & Compliance: Lead regular high-stakes inventory audits and implement cycle-counting programs to maintain data integrity.

• Negotiation Skills: Proven track record of negotiating favorable terms with international vendors and managing high-value contracts.
• Technical Fluency: Ability to read technical drawings and understand hardware specifications to ensure correct part sourcing.
• Systems Mastery: Advanced proficiency in ERP/MRP software (e.g. NetSuite Oracle SAP) and data analysis tools (Excel/Google Sheets).
• Leadership: Experience designing workflows from scratch and a desire to mentor junior team members.
• Problem-Solving: A proactive mindset capable of resolving complex logistics or sourcing challenges independently.

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management Business Engineering or a related field.
• 3+ years of experience in technical procurement and inventory management ideally in robotics aerospace or high-tech manufacturing.
• Experience in a high-growth startup or R&D environment is highly preferred.
• Professional certifications (e.g. CPSM CPIM) are a significant plus.

• Must be able to lift 25-45 pounds at times.
• Vision to read printed materials and a computer screen.
• Mobility to move through a lab/workshop environment frequently.

What We Do

Apptronik is building robots for the real world to improve human quality of life and to help solve the ever-increasing labor shortage problem. Our team has been building some of the most advanced robots on the planet for years dating back to the DARPA Robotics Challenge. We apply our expertise across the full robotics stack to some of the most important and impactful problems our society faces and expect our products and technology to change the world for the better. We value passion creativity and collaboration to help us overcome existing technological barriers in the industry to create truly innovative products.

Why Work With Us

At Apptronik we don't see a future where man competes against machine. Instead we envision a harmonious world where man and machine coexist. Our mission statement "It is not Man vs. Machine but Man + Machine" encapsulates our belief that the synergy between humans and robots will pave the way for a brighter more advanced future.

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