NPI Buyer

Apptronik•Austin, TX

11h•Onsite

About The Position

Apptronik is a human-centered robotics company developing AI-powered robots to support humanity in every facet of life. Their flagship humanoid robot, Apollo, is designed to collaborate with people in critical industries like manufacturing and logistics, with future applications in healthcare and the home. The company operates at the cutting edge of embodied AI, applying expertise across the full robotics stack to solve important societal problems. The successful candidate will join a team focused on bringing Apollo to market at scale, addressing challenges such as safety, commercialization, and mass production. The role is for a New Product Introduction Program Buyer/Planner who will support hardware development programs throughout the product development lifecycle. This individual will collaborate with Engineering, PMO, and Supply Chain departments to manage procurement execution, material tracking, and build readiness for rapid-iteration engineering builds. The position may involve supporting various hardware domains including mechanical, electrical, electromechanical, PCBAs, or full subsystem assemblies. This is a high-impact, high-visibility role at the intersection of program management and supply chain, ensuring timely part availability for engineers and communicating any delays or actions being taken. The role offers deep exposure to hardware development, cross-functional coordination, and the full product lifecycle.

Requirements

Understanding of how hardware components come together in prototype and NPI builds.
Comfortable in a lab, shop, or manufacturing environment.
Familiarity with purchase orders, supplier management, lead time tracking, and basic sourcing concepts.
Ability to maintain accurate trackers, spot discrepancies in data, and synthesize material status into clear summaries for leadership.
Strong Excel/Sheets skills.
Comfort with or willingness to learn ERP/MRP systems, PLM tools, and project management platforms (Jira, Asana).
Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Supply Chain.
1-3 years of experience in program management, project coordination, supply chain, manufacturing, or engineering operations.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software is a plus.
Experience in robotics, automotive, aerospace, consumer electronics, or other hardware-intensive industries.
Exposure to NPI, prototype builds, or early-stage product development.

Responsibilities

Submit and track purchase requests. Follow orders through the Supply Chain team's procurement process to delivery and receiving.
Execute risk-buy requests as necessary for long-lead or high-risk components.
Maintain sourcing plans and collaborate on identification of alternate suppliers for critical components.
Track supplier commits, lead times, and delivery schedules. Flag risks early.
Monitor market conditions and supplier roadmaps for supply challenges.
Own procurement data integrity and clear-to-build (CTB) analyses. Maintain live material availability against build schedules.
Manage material requirement plans and inventory levels — minimize shortages and excess.
Manage prototype/temporary inventory (lab stock, dev kits, staging areas).
Track releases through PLM (ECOs, revisions, release gates). Keep procurement aligned to current revisions.
Assess material impact of engineering changes and adjust procurement plan accordingly.
Manage component phase-in/phase-out and obsolescence.
Track contract manufacturer commits, capacity, and constraints.
When needed, coordinate movement of raw materials or components between suppliers and manufacturers.
Support BOM cost tracking and Design for Cost activities.
Track and report KPIs: CTB, days-on-hand, inventory excess, obsolescence, delivery performance.
Maintain procurement dashboards (open POs, CTB by subsystem, spend vs. budget).
Drive process improvements in planning tools and supply chain workflows.
Support the TPM with schedule tracking, milestone reporting, and program review prep as it relates to product development.
Track and close out material planning-related action items from design reviews, build meetings, and supplier calls.
Support programs from early prototype through production, including transition to sustaining.
Coordinate cross-functionally across Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, and Finance.