Procurement & Vendor Coordinator

Limelight Steel, Inc.•Oakland, CA

20h•Hybrid

About The Position

Limelight Steel is seeking a contract Procurement & Vendor Coordinator to manage day-to-day purchasing, expediting, and vendor coordination for installation and commissioning of its laser steelmaking demonstration plant in Oakland, California. The role supports procurement packages for the laser furnace and sulfur system, including requesting and comparing quotes, raising spend requests in Procurify, placing authorized orders, and following up with vendors and fabricators until materials are delivered and accepted. The package list currently contains about 40 to 50 items. The coordinator will work with a small engineering team, escalating technical queries, deviations, substitutions, and vendor submittals to the appropriate engineer while keeping the engineering lead informed about costs, deliveries, and risks. Responsibilities span purchasing and fabrication packages, service and labor contracts, vendor document tracking, shipment logistics and customs coordination for imported components, site receiving, and maintaining traceable procurement records. The role is intended for someone experienced with industrial capital projects who can read basic fabrication drawings and P&IDs in conjunction with a BOM or specification, maintain accurate order records, and communicate persistently and clearly with vendors. This is a flexible, 20-to-30-hour-per-week contract initially running from November 2026 to February 2027, with possible renewal depending on project needs. Work is a mix of remote and on-site in Oakland, with on-site presence needed for receiving and vendor visits.

Requirements

At least 5 years of experience in procurement, expediting, or vendor coordination on industrial capital projects.
Experience with an owner's project team or an equipment fabricator.
Experience buying and expediting mechanical equipment, fabricated steel, piping and valves, and electrical and instrumentation items.
Ability to read P&IDs, BOMs, data sheets, and fabrication drawings well enough to buy against them and spot gaps.
Strong organization and persistence, including keeping order lists current and following up with vendors until materials are on site.
Clear written communication with vendors and engineers, and sound judgment about when to make decisions and when to escalate.
Comfort with spreadsheets and a purchasing system such as Procurify or a similar tool.

Nice To Haves

Experience on metallurgical, pyrometallurgical, chemical, or process plants.
Experience expediting overseas fabrication, including freight, customs, and incoterms.
Working knowledge of commercial terms such as payment milestones, warranties, back-charges, and change orders.
Experience with vendor document control and inspection and test plans.
Familiarity with project schedules such as Smartsheet or MS Project and linking deliveries to schedule items.
Bay Area location or ability to be on site in Oakland when needed for receiving and vendor visits.

Responsibilities

Own and maintain the procurement package list for the laser furnace and sulfur system, including scope, vendor, quote, purchase order, promised and actual dates, and status.
Issue RFQs based on engineering specifications, data sheets, and BOMs; gather and compare quotes; prepare bid summaries for engineering and commercial approval; and place orders once authorized.
Raise spend requests in Procurify with supporting documentation and track them through approval and purchase-order release.
Place and manage orders for fabricated weldments, piping, fittings, valves, pumps, insulation, instrumentation, bulk materials, and consumables.
Source and set up service and labor contracts for field welders, pipe fitters, electrical contractors, rigging suppliers, and third-party consultants, with engineering defining the scope.
Regularly check in with vendors and fabricators on open orders, confirming drawing approvals, material receipt, fabrication progress, inspection, and shipping dates.
Flag delivery delays early, identify affected schedule items, and propose recovery options such as partial shipments, alternate sources, air freight, or resequencing.
Coordinate imported specialty components with contracted logistics companies, including transit bookings, shipping documentation, HS codes and incoterms, customs holds, and delivery tracking.
Arrange site receiving; check deliveries against purchase orders and packing lists, document damage or shortages, and obtain engineer acceptance or rejection.
Serve as the day-to-day vendor contact and route technical queries, deviations, substitutions, and document submittals to the appropriate engineer, then close the loop with the vendor.
Track and follow up on vendor documents, including general arrangement drawings, data books, material certificates, test reports, and O&M manuals.
Manage vendor warranty claims, returns, back-charges, and credit notes.
Maintain vendor contacts, lead times, terms, and performance notes for future projects.
Send the engineering lead a concise weekly procurement and expediting status covering orders placed, upcoming deliveries, slips, and decisions needed.
Attend engineering standups as needed to report procurement status and take actions.
Keep quotes, purchase orders, correspondence, and receiving records filed and traceable, and maintain competitive-bidding documentation for financial audits.