Supply Chain Intern

VERUS AEROSPACE FINANCE•Tacoma, WA

About The Position

This part-time internship is a learning position for a college student seeking hands-on experience across the supply chain function of an aerospace machine shop. The intern’s primary assignment is to support the Buyer responsible for outside process (OSP) suppliers that perform surface processing and other special processes on hard-metal components. With guidance from experienced team members, the intern will also learn production purchasing, MRO purchasing, and contracts administration, developing practical skills in ERP/MRP systems, supplier management, and aerospace quality and compliance requirements. The schedule is a minimum of 15 and maximum of 28 hours per week, arranged around the student’s class load. The intern will support OSP purchasing by preparing and entering purchase orders, tracking orders and parts at outside processors, following up on supplier status and delivery dates, maintaining expedite and shortage reports, coordinating shipments, collecting supplier delivery and quality data, checking cost and lead-time standards, and researching alternative suppliers and quotes. The role also provides learning exposure to production and MRO purchasing, inventory management, supplier qualification, purchasing records, vendor quality issues, customer order administration, customer portals, and contract compliance requirements. The intern will work with an assigned mentor, participate in Purchasing staff meetings, complete a supply chain improvement project and present results to management, document current procedures, suggest improvements, and perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Currently enrolled in an accredited college or university with at least sophomore standing.
Pursuing a degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, or a related Business degree.
Must remain enrolled throughout the internship.
Working knowledge of Microsoft Excel, including sorting, filtering, and basic formulas, as well as Word and Outlook.
Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.
Clear, professional written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to manage several open items at once and follow up until closed.
Basic math and reading comprehension; ability to read and comprehend instructions, purchase orders, and procedures.
Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating instructions, and procedure manuals.
Must meet ITAR/EAR requirements for U.S. person status to access export-controlled technical data.
Interest in a career in supply chain management and a strong desire to learn.

Nice To Haves

Prior work experience in manufacturing, purchasing, or logistics.

Responsibilities

Assist the OSP Buyer in preparing and entering OSP purchase orders into the ERP system.
Track open OSP orders and parts at outside processors, following up with suppliers on status, ship dates, and past-due items.
Maintain OSP expedite and shortage reports and highlight parts at risk to the production schedule.
Coordinate with Shipping/Receiving on parts sent to and returned from outside processors.
Collect and report supplier on-time delivery and quality data, including rejections, non-conformances, and corrective actions.
Verify OSP cost and lead-time standards in the ERP system and flag discrepancies.
Research alternative OSP suppliers, gather quotes, and prepare bid comparisons for the Buyer’s review.
Learn how materials and services are purchased to support short- and long-term production plans.
Gain exposure to purchasing practices such as blanket orders, volume discounts, and negotiation.
Learn how suppliers are qualified and gain exposure to inventory management and projects involving work transferred among suppliers.
Learn the sourcing and procurement of shop supplies, cutting tools, and miscellaneous expense items.
Learn how purchase order changes and purchasing records are maintained, and how vendor quality rejects are resolved.
Learn how customer purchase orders and change orders are reviewed against quotes and long-term agreements.
Observe customer order entry in the ERP system and use of customer portals to receive orders and download forecasts.
Work with an assigned mentor and participate in Purchasing staff meetings.
Complete a supply chain improvement project and present the results to management.
Document current procedures and suggest improvements.
Perform other duties as assigned.