Procurement Specialist

Sarmal Inc • San Diego, CA

45d • $70,000 - $85,000 • Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking a Procurement Specialist to own purchasing end-to-end in a fast-paced, rapidly growing environment. You will be the single point of contact between our scientific and operations teams and the vendors who supply them — sourcing quotes, negotiating terms, placing orders, and making sure reagents, consumables, and equipment arrive on time and in good condition. Because we are an early-stage company, the role extends past the purchase order: you will also run receiving and inventory for the site, and build the purchasing processes Sarmal will rely on as it scales.

Requirements

• 3+ years of purchasing, procurement, or supply chain experience, including at least 2 years in a biotech, pharmaceutical, medical device, or research laboratory environment.
• Working familiarity with laboratory consumables, reagents, and scientific supply distributors (e.g., Avantor/VWR, Thermo Fisher, MilliporeSigma, Bio-Rad, IDT).
• Demonstrated ability to issue and track purchase orders and manage vendor relationships independently.
• Sound negotiation skills and the ability to be persistent with suppliers while maintaining tact and preserving the relationship.
• Strong proficiency with Excel and comfort learning new purchasing, inventory, or ERP systems.
• Excellent organization and attention to detail, with the ability to manage many concurrent orders and competing priorities.
• Ability to work on-site five days per week.

Nice To Haves

• Experience at an early-stage or rapidly scaling company, where processes are built rather than inherited.
• Familiarity with cold-chain handling, dry ice, and temperature-controlled storage requirements.
• Hands-on experience with an ERP, inventory, or e-procurement platform (e.g., NetSuite, QuickBooks, Quartzy, Coupa).
• Exposure to a regulated quality environment and supplier qualification practices.
• Experience with capital equipment procurement, service contracts, or facilities vendor coordination.

Responsibilities

• Own the full requisition-to-order cycle: intake and verify requests from R&D, Lab Operations, Facilities, and G&A; obtain quotes; issue and track purchase orders; process approved requisitions within one business day.
• Source competitive pricing across distributors and direct manufacturers; run RFQs and negotiate pricing, lead times, and terms.
• Track open orders and expedite backorders, allocations, and delayed shipments before they become bench-level problems.
• Partner with Finance on PO-to-invoice matching and resolution of match exceptions, quantity discrepancies, and billing errors; maintain purchasing records and provide spend reporting to Operations and Finance.
• Support capital equipment purchases, including quote comparison, service contract tracking, and coordination of delivery and installation.
• Identify cost savings through consolidation, contract pricing, standing orders, and alternate sourcing.
• Own the vendor master list — contacts, account numbers, pricing agreements, payment terms, and preferred-supplier designations — and onboard new vendors, including W-9s, insurance certificates, and routing of agreements for review and signature.
• Serve as day-to-day point of contact for supplier representatives; coordinate vendor visits and product demonstrations.
• Monitor supplier performance on quality, delivery, and responsiveness; escalate recurring issues and identify second-source options for critical materials.
• Receive all incoming shipments: verify contents against packing slips and purchase orders, inspect for damage, and record lot numbers and expiration dates.
• Route temperature-sensitive materials immediately on arrival — cold-chain reagents, dry ice shipments, and controlled-storage items — to the correct storage location.
• Maintain stockroom and consumables inventory; conduct cycle counts, monitor par levels, and anticipate demand against upcoming study timelines so that long-lead items are ordered ahead of need.
• Manage returns, RMAs, and disposition of damaged or non-conforming goods; keep the receiving and storage area clean, safe, and well organized.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Company-paid life insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Generous paid time off
• Access to additional voluntary benefits, employee perks, and discount programs

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree