Data Acquisition Associate

Abaka AI•Mountain View, CA

5d•$80,000 - $110,000

About The Position

Abaka AI is seeking a Data Acquisition Associate to expand and manage its global network of raw data suppliers. The role works closely with Data Acquisition Engineers to identify data sources, evaluate prospective suppliers, conduct outreach, and support suppliers through onboarding and delivery. It combines sourcing and operations with building AI-assisted systems to improve data acquisition workflows. The associate is expected to use AI coding tools to independently build functional scripts, automations, internal tools, and workflows; a traditional software engineering background is not required, but hands-on experience with AI coding tools is mandatory. This opportunity is suited to an early-career candidate who is resourceful, technically capable, commercially minded, and interested in building systems in a fast-moving AI company.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience.
1–3 years of experience in operations, sourcing, business development, data, research, engineering, or a related field.
Hands-on experience using AI coding tools such as Cursor, Claude Code, Replit, or similar platforms.
Demonstrated ability to independently build functional scripts, automations, internal tools, or prototypes through vibe coding.
Comfort with APIs, web scraping tools, spreadsheets, databases, and workflow automation platforms.
Strong research skills and the ability to find information creatively across the internet.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple suppliers, projects, and deadlines simultaneously.
Strong sense of ownership and ability to operate independently in an ambiguous environment.
Resourcefulness, persistence, and comfort conducting outbound outreach.
Genuine interest in AI, machine learning, data infrastructure, or emerging technologies.
Bias toward action, experimentation, and continuous improvement.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with Python, SQL, JavaScript, or another scripting language.
Experience building a personal project, internal tool, automation, or AI-powered workflow.
Experience with automation platforms such as Zapier, Make, Airtable, or similar tools.
Familiarity with vendor sourcing, partnerships, sales development, procurement, or marketplace operations.
Experience working at a startup or in another fast-paced environment.
Additional language proficiency.

Responsibilities

Research and identify potential data suppliers across industries, data modalities, and global markets.
Conduct high-volume, targeted outreach to prospective suppliers through email, LinkedIn, online communities, and other channels.
Support supplier evaluation based on data quality, relevance, pricing, reliability, licensing, and scalability.
Coordinate supplier onboarding, sample collection, documentation, and internal review processes.
Maintain accurate supplier records and track outreach, negotiations, deliverables, and performance.
Build lightweight scripts, automations, internal tools, and prototypes using AI-assisted development platforms.
Use scraping tools, APIs, workflow builders, and AI agents to improve supplier discovery and sourcing efficiency.
Build dashboards and reporting workflows to track sourcing activity, supplier performance, and data supply coverage.
Assist with supplier communications, pricing discussions, contract coordination, and ongoing relationship management.
Work cross-functionally with Data Engineering, Research, Project Management, Legal, Finance, and GTM teams.
Identify repetitive processes and build scalable solutions that reduce manual work.
Support other data acquisition projects and operational priorities as the function grows.