Hardware Procurement Specialist
Climactic · Belmont, CA · 4 days ago
PurchasingVolunteer
About the role
The Hardware Procurement Specialist plays a critical role in sourcing, managing, and executing on mechanical components and long-lead items for Gritt Robotics' hardware team. This is a hands-on, on-site position where you will work closely with the mechanical team to ensure timely delivery of necessary parts.
Responsibilities
- Sourcing & Purchasing:
- Source off-the-shelf parts, mechanical components, and long-lead items such as LiDAR units, cameras, compute modules, and connectors.
- Procure parts ranging from brackets, mounts, fasteners, and structural parts to LiDAR units, cameras, compute modules, cabling, and connectors.
- De-risk long-lead items by anticipating lead times, placing orders early, and qualifying alternates before delays occur.
- Keep the floor stocked with the right components in the right place, ensuring engineers never stall waiting on a part.
- Vendor Management & Cost:
- Manage relationships with mechanical suppliers, sensor and compute distributors, and local machine shops.
- Negotiate prices, lead times, and quality standards.
- Control costs by keeping spend visible per system, pushing back on inflated quotes, and making cost-aware sourcing decisions.
- Purchase Orders, Inventory & BOMs:
- Track purchase orders end-to-end, manage shipments, and maintain accurate BOMs and kits.
- Capture sourcing and quality issues found during assembly, testing, or deployment and feed them back into vendor selection and purchasing.
Requirements
- 1-5 years of experience in procurement, purchasing, supply chain, or operations, preferably in a hardware, robotics, mechanical, aerospace, automotive, or manufacturing environment.
- Strong internship experience counts.
- Hungry to grow and build real expertise fast, with increasing ownership as the company scales.
- Prompt and on top of things, returning messages quickly and ensuring payments are made on time.
- Organized by default, keeping clean vendor records, PO trackers, and BOMs.
- Comfortable with hardware, able to read mechanical drawings, understand BOMs, and source LiDAR or industrial cameras.
- A people connector, working effectively with mechanical engineers, suppliers, and leadership.
- Calm under pressure, handling part delays with a plan rather than letting them cause problems.
- Mission-driven, excited to work on something that matters, like building the infrastructure of the future.
Qualifications
- Experience procuring custom machined or fabricated parts (CNC, sheet metal, weldments) alongside off-the-shelf hardware.
- Familiarity with sourcing sensors and compute, including LiDAR, industrial cameras, NVIDIA Jetson/x86 compute modules, GPUs, automotive-grade cabling and connectors, and checking for environmental ratings.
- Hands-on experience using or helping stand up an ERP/MRP or PLM system at a hardware startup.
- Background working alongside mechanical, electrical, and firmware engineers on integrated hardware systems.
- Exposure to construction equipment, heavy machinery, off-highway vehicles, or field service in real-world environments.
- APICS/ASCM (CPIM, CSCP), ISM CPSM, or Lean / Six Sigma coursework.
Skills
- Strong organizational skills.
- Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
- Knowledge of procurement software and databases.
Benefits
- Competitive salary.
- Meaningful equity in Gritt Robotics.
- A benefits package designed for people who are building something they care about for the long haul.
Pay
Competitive salary based on experience and qualifications.
Schedule
This is a full-time, on-site role requiring attendance at the Gritt Robotics facility every workday.