Buyer 1

Onto Innovation•Milpitas, CA

4d•$56,000 - $84,000

About The Position

Onto Innovation is a process-control company serving the semiconductor industry with technologies spanning metrology, defect inspection, factory analytics, and lithography. The Buyer 1 role is described as an NPI (New Product Introduction) Planner, bridging R&D and volume manufacturing by coordinating material readiness, capacity planning, and build schedules so engineering samples and new products can transition to mass production smoothly, on time, and within budget. The role manages procurement and kitting, inventory and WIP tracking, and coordination with internal and external suppliers. It develops build plans, tracks project milestones, assesses manufacturing capacity, and collaborates across R&D, operations, product engineering, program management, sales, and management. The position also uses ERP and MRP systems to maintain planning data, set up routings, and generate work orders, while analyzing delays and recommending process improvements to optimize NPI workflows.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, supply chain management, or a related field; BA/BS preferred.
Proficiency with ERP systems such as NetSuite, SAP, or Oracle, MRP modules, Excel, and Teams.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to organize and present detailed information at strategic and tactical levels.
Solid understanding of costing concepts, cost reduction, and modeling.
Ability to handle the described program-management tasks and personnel resources.
At least 3 years of experience as a Buyer/Planner in NPI or high-mix, low-volume manufacturing environments.

Responsibilities

Purchase and validate materials, piece parts, and subassemblies needed for R&D and prototype builds.
Manage raw materials and work-in-progress inventory, and identify component shortages that could delay builds.
Communicate timelines and delivery requirements to internal and external suppliers and mitigate vendor constraints.
Design and execute build plans for engineering samples and initial production runs.
Maintain project schedules and track milestones from the conceptual phase through volume ramp-up.
Assess manufacturing capacity and plan requirements for scaling from small batches to mass production.
Coordinate with R&D, operations, product engineering, and program management to resolve roadblocks.
Provide status updates to sales and management, maintain KPI dashboards, and escalate timeline risks.
Use ERP and MRP systems to maintain planning data, set up routings, and generate work orders.
Analyze supply chain data, identify root causes of delays, recommend process improvements, and optimize NPI workflows.