Senior Buyer, Electronics & Power Systems

Karman Industries•Los Angeles, CA

1d•$110,000 - $150,000

About The Position

Karman Industries is hiring a Senior Buyer to own end-to-end supply for electronics and power systems used in its Heat Processing Unit (HPU). The role covers category strategy, sourcing, supplier performance, and supply continuity for PCBAs, power semiconductors, solid-state transformer hardware, high-speed electric motors, sensors, connectors, and wire harnesses. The buyer works directly with Engineering and Production to convert bills of materials and build plans into on-time, on-cost deliveries and identify supply risks before they disrupt production. The role includes sourcing power electronics, motor components, SST subassemblies, and related materials; managing supplier qualification and performance; translating forecasts and BOMs into purchasing plans; ensuring continuity for long-lead and single-source parts; and supporting trade and product compliance. Karman Industries develops industrial thermal energy systems, including a supercritical CO2 chiller with electrically driven turbomachinery, for data centers, manufacturing, and energy industries.

Requirements

At least 5 years of experience in purchasing, strategic sourcing, or supply management for electronics, power electronics, electromechanical, or advanced manufacturing.
Experience buying power electronics, magnetics, or electromechanical components such as motors, generators, or drives.
Working knowledge of electronic components, including resistors, capacitors, ICs, connectors, magnetics, power modules, and PCBAs.
Ability to read BOMs, datasheets, mechanical drawings, and basic schematics, including motor and power-module datasheets covering voltage, current, losses, thermal limits, and insulation class.
Experience developing category or sourcing strategies and negotiating supply agreements.
Experience with ERP/MRP systems such as NetSuite, SAP, Oracle, or similar, including planning and purchasing modules, and advanced Excel skills.
Working knowledge of import and export basics, including customs, tariffs, Incoterms, and country-of-origin documentation.
Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, business, engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience.

Nice To Haves

Experience with SiC or GaN supply markets, including allocation and long-lead dynamics.
Experience with permanent magnet motors, magnet supply chains, or custom winding and rotor suppliers.
Experience with high-speed or turbomachinery motor programs.
Experience buying for low-volume, high-mix, or prototype-to-production hardware programs.
Experience with should-cost modeling, total cost of ownership analysis, and cost-down programs.
Familiarity with UL, IEC, and IEEE safety and insulation standards for power equipment.
Familiarity with component search and BOM tools such as Octopart, SiliconExpert, Digi-Key, Mouser, Arrow, and Avnet.
Knowledge of IPC standards, RoHS and REACH compliance, and counterfeit-avoidance practices such as AS5553 or similar.
APICS CPIM, CSCP, or CPSM certification.
Background in energy, HVAC, data center, aerospace, or other industrial hardware.

Responsibilities

Own the electronics and power systems category strategy, including supplier selection, dual- and second-source plans, consolidation, and long-term agreements.
Run RFQs and competitive bids, compare total landed cost, lead time, MOQ, and quality history, and recommend supplier awards.
Negotiate pricing, payment terms, lead times, and capacity commitments with manufacturers, authorized distributors, EMS, PCB, and custom-build vendors.
Drive cost reductions through should-cost analysis, volume leverage, and design-to-cost input to Engineering; report savings against a baseline.
Source power semiconductors, gate drivers, and medium-voltage-rated components; manage allocation, capacity commitments, and long-term supply agreements.
Source SST subassemblies and materials, including high-frequency magnetics, DC-link and film capacitors, insulation systems, bushings, and cooling plates.
Source high-speed motor components and builds, including stators and windings, rotors, permanent magnets, electrical steel laminations, magnet wire, and bearings; manage build-to-print and custom-wound suppliers.
Source inverters, motor drives, encoders, resolvers, and sensors.
Manage raw-material exposure for copper, rare earths, and electrical steel using index-based pricing or hedged terms where possible.
Build and maintain approved manufacturer and vendor lists with Engineering and Quality.
Coordinate supplier qualification with Engineering and Quality, including first article inspection, sample builds, high-pot and insulation testing, and rotor balancing records.
Run supplier scorecards for on-time delivery, quality, and cost; lead quarterly business reviews, corrective actions, and improvement plans.
Translate production forecasts and BOMs into purchase plans; review MRP output and set buy, safety stock, and buffer strategies for long-lead parts.
Participate in supply and demand planning with Production and Program teams and provide weekly supply status.
Track open purchase orders, expedite late deliveries, and escalate shortages with recovery plans.
Monitor EOL and PCN notices, flag single-source parts, and drive last-time-buy and second-source decisions.
Prevent counterfeit and gray-market exposure by purchasing through authorized channels and enforcing traceability and incoming-inspection requirements.
Manage trade-compliance inputs, including HTS classification, country of origin, tariff exposure, RoHS and REACH documentation, and export-control requirements, including for magnets and power semiconductors.