Procurement Associate

Company Overview

Astro Mechanica is an integrated aerospace firm focused on advancing high-speed travel to create a more connected future. Our aim is to make supersonic travel accessible, flexible, and sustainable. By combining our proprietary propulsion system, Duality™, with innovative flight operations, we strive to make supersonic transport as efficient and cost-effective as today’s commercial air travel. Currently, we also develop adaptable high-speed solutions to meet the needs of the U.S. government.

About the Role

We seek a highly organized and detail-driven Procurement Associate to support our prototyping, testing, propulsion, and manufacturing teams by efficiently procuring critical parts, equipment, materials, and services. This role requires managing multiple vendor relationships and tracking numerous procurement processes simultaneously. You will play an essential role in ensuring smooth supply chain operations within a fast-paced hardware development environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Identify and forecast procurement needs across engineering, prototyping, testing, propulsion, and manufacturing teams before shortages occur.
• Manage end-to-end procurement activities, including vendor prospecting, quoting, negotiating, ordering, follow-up, delivery tracking, and receipt of parts and materials.
• Source diverse components such as piece parts, machined and fabricated components, hardware, tooling, test equipment, and lab supplies to meet technical requirements.
• Maintain close communication with suppliers to ensure schedule adherence, address risks, and drive timely deliveries.
• Develop and update detailed procurement trackers for requests, RFQs, quotes, purchase orders, delivery status, and associated risks.
• Collaborate with engineering and manufacturing teams to clarify technical specifications, drawings, revisions, and delivery priorities.
• Build and sustain strong relationships with suppliers, manufacturers, and service providers to guarantee quality and reliability.
• Expand and qualify the vendor base to support company growth.
• Anticipate supply chain risks and implement contingency plans to mitigate potential disruptions.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years of procurement, purchasing, supply chain, operations, production control, manufacturing, or vendor coordination experience in a hardware-focused environment.
• Demonstrated proactive approach with consistent follow-through and ability to resolve blocking issues under tight schedules.
• Exceptional organizational ability to manage numerous parts, suppliers, quotes, purchase orders, delivery dates, and issues concurrently.
• Proficient in understanding technical team requirements, including engineering drawings and part descriptions.
• Strong communication skills with suppliers, comfortable with negotiation, schedule confirmation, and escalation.
• Detail-oriented and process-focused, capable of developing and maintaining clean procurement systems and trackers.
• Flexibility to thrive in a dynamic startup atmosphere with shifting priorities and evolving processes.
• Experience with aerospace, export-controlled environments, AS9100 suppliers, or regulated hardware is advantageous.

Compensation and Benefits

• Competitive salary ranging from $155,000 to $185,000 annually.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage including Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA).
• 401(k) retirement program and transparent stock options plan.
• Self-managed flexible time-off policy encompassing paid holidays, personal time off, and sick leave.
• Supportive and flexible work environment.

Additional Information

Astro Mechanica values in-person collaboration and expects employees to work onsite five days per week to foster teamwork and culture. The company is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.