Purchasing & Procurement Specialist - Battery Manufacturing

About Us: We are building a world-class foundational science team, founded by former Tesla leadership. We’re a well-funded seed-stage sodium-ion battery company focused on truly redefining the future of energy storage and we are very excited about it. About this role: We are seeking a hands-on Purchasing & Procurement Specialist to own how materials, equipment, and supplies get bought, shipped, and received here. As we build out our Santa Clara facility and pilot line, you will manage everything from lab consumables to battery-grade raw materials and capital equipment, sourced domestically and from overseas. You will get to build our purchasing function from the ground up – setting up the processes, systems, and supplier relationships that will scale with us from R&D into pilot production – working directly with the founders and in close collaboration with our materials, cell engineering, and manufacturing teams. This is a high-impact role: every experiment and every line build depends on getting the right material in the door, on time, at the right price. What you’ll get to do: The following responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Buying & Purchasing Own the purchase order process end-to-end: turn requests from engineering and lab teams into accurate POs, issue them to suppliers, and track every order through delivery Source and quote lab consumables, chemicals, battery materials (cathode, anode, hard carbon, electrolyte, separator, foils), tooling, and capital equipment Negotiate pricing, lead times, payment terms, and MOQs; run competitive bids for larger purchases Match supplier invoices to POs and receipts (three-way match), resolve discrepancies, and route for approval and payment in Ramp Procurement & Supplier Management Build and maintain our approved supplier list and vendor onboarding (W-9s, credit applications, NDAs, resale/exemption certificates) Manage international purchases: Incoterms, commercial invoices, packing lists, and coordination with our freight forwarder/customs broker on ISF filings, customs entries, and duties/tariffs Support capital equipment procurement for our pilot line, including milestone payments, letters of credit, acceptance testing, and delivery logistics Track lead times and open orders; flag schedule and budget risks early Manage supplier product: CoA, spec sheet & Safety data sheet and maintain scorecards on delivery, quality, and price Build documentation to support FEOC compliance, country-of-origin, and HTS classification compliance Receiving & Inventory Receive inbound shipments: verify against PO and packing list, inspect for damage, document receipts, and handle returns and freight claims Ensure safe handling and storage of hazardous materials, including SDS management, labeling, and chemical inventory tracking Set up and maintain inventory tracking for raw materials, consumables, and spare parts; manage reorder points for critical items Coordinate outbound shipments (samples, returns), including dangerous-goods requirements for chemicals and battery cells Continuously improve purchasing policies, approval workflows, and documentation to keep us audit-ready as we scale Manage lot tracking traceability, product shelf-life and storage condition requirements - dry room, flammables cabinets What you’ll bring: 3+ years of experience in purchasing, procurement, buying, or supply chain in a manufacturing, hardware, or lab environment Hands-on experience issuing POs and managing the full procure-to-pay cycle Working knowledge of international shipping and imports: Incoterms, freight forwarders, customs brokers, duties and tariffs Experience receiving and inspecting materials and keeping accurate inventory records Exceptional organization and follow-through – you can track hundreds of open line items without dropping one Strong Excel/Google Sheets skills and comfort with spend-management or ERP tools Clear, direct communicator who can push suppl…

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