Metals Buyer

Ascent Aerospace is a world-renowned, single-source provider of production and automated assembly systems for the aerospace and defense industry. We provide high-precision advanced automated equipment as well as a full suite of both mold and assembly tooling required for the aerospace manufacturing market, including the largest Invar molds ever made—making us the largest tooling group in the industry.

About the role

Ascent Aerospace is seeking a Raw Material / Metals Buyer to manage the sourcing, purchasing, and supplier relationship activities for specialty metals and raw material commodities — including aluminum, steel, and other alloys — supporting aerospace manufacturing programs. This role is responsible for ensuring on-time, cost-effective, and fully compliant procurement of raw materials in accordance with DFARS, ITAR, AS9100, and customer-flowdown quality requirements. The ideal candidate combines strong commercial negotiation skills with technical fluency in metals specifications, mill certifications, and regulated aerospace supply chain documentation.

Responsibilities

• Source, negotiate, and purchase raw materials (aluminum plate/bar/sheet, steel tube, specialty alloys, forgings, and castings) from qualified mill and service center suppliers (e.g., Alro, Ryerson, Metals USA, and similar distributors/mills)
• Manage purchase order issuance, expediting, and on-time delivery across a vendor base supporting hundreds of active suppliers
• Track and analyze requisition-to-PO cycle time and other procurement KPIs; identify and resolve process bottlenecks
• Monitor commodity market pricing trends (e.g., LME aluminum, steel index pricing) and proactively manage cost exposure through forward buys, index-based contracts, or supplier negotiations
• Ensure all raw material purchases comply with DFARS 252.225-7009 specialty metals requirements, including melt-and-pour origin traceability and the COTS/forgings-castings carve-back provisions
• Maintain ITAR awareness and ensure procurement activity aligns with export control and USML classification requirements
• Review and validate Material Test Reports (MTRs) / Certified Mill Test Reports (CMTRs) for conformance to specification (ASTM, AMS, SAE) and customer flowdown requirements
• Support supplier AS9100/ISO 9001 qualification and maintain documentation for audit readiness
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with mills, service centers, and distributors; conduct supplier performance reviews and scorecarding
• Negotiate pricing agreements, blanket POs, and contract terms; resolve nonconforming material and invoice discrepancies
• Identify and qualify alternate/backup sources to mitigate single-source and supply chain risk
• Lead or support cost-reduction initiatives, including specification review, material substitution analysis, and process-driven savings opportunities
• Partner with Engineering, Quality, and Production Planning to align material specifications, lead times, and inventory strategy
• Support new program launches with material sourcing strategy and supplier readiness
• Provide input on make/buy decisions and bill-of-material (BOM) accuracy

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent combination of education and experience)
• 3–7+ years of buying/procurement experience, with direct experience purchasing metals or raw materials in an aerospace, defense, or automotive manufacturing environment
• Working knowledge of common metal specifications and grades (e.g., aluminum 6061/7075, A36, 1018, A500/A513 tube, A572) and associated ASTM/AMS standards
• Familiarity with DFARS specialty metals clauses, ITAR, and other defense-related regulatory compliance requirements
• Understanding of MTRs, mill certifications, BOMs, and material traceability documentation
• Proficiency with ERP/MRP systems (SAP preferred) and advanced Excel skills for cost and vendor analysis
• Strong negotiation, supplier management, and cross-functional communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience purchasing for AS9100/NADCAP-certified manufacturing environments
• Professional certification such as CPSM, CPM, CSCP, or APICS/CPIM
• Experience with SRM/SaaS procurement platforms and process automation tools
• Prior experience supporting cost-savings or supplier-consolidation initiatives
• Knowledge of forgings/castings procurement and qualification processes
• Eligibility for or current possession of a U.S. security clearance, or ability to obtain one
• Experience in both aerospace and automotive raw material sourcing environments

Working Conditions

• Typically sits for extended periods at a computer workstation
• May access and work in the manufacturing plant
• While performing the duties of this job, employee may be exposed to moving mechanical parts, fumes and airborne particles
• The employee may be exposed to vibration
• The employee is occasionally exposed to caustic chemicals. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate
• May be required to travel to other site locations during the work day
• May be required to work weekends to meet department and business demands
• Work with safe manufacturing processes and understand that eyewear is mandatory in the manufacturing area
• Safety shoes are recommended in the manufacturing area

Physical Demands

• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus
• Must be able to sit, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl
• Must be able to see, talk, hear, touch, feel and reach with hands and arms
• Must be able to frequently walk and stand for short periods of time
• Must be able to lift and move up to 35lbs, occasionally lift and move objects up to 50lbs

Benefits

• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Short- and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Life Insurance
• AD&D Insurance
• PTO
• 401k Match

Employment is contingent upon successfully passing an employee reference check, criminal background check, and drug screening. This position requires use of information that is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). All applicants must be U.S. persons within the meaning of ITAR. ITAR defines a U.S. person as a U.S. Citizen or U.S. Permanent Resident (i.e. 'Green Card Holder').