Supply Chain Specialist
About The Position
Krateo Sky Intelligence is seeking a bold Supply Chain Specialist to own procurement, supplier quality, and sourcing strategy for their autonomous aircraft company. This role will primarily support Black Swift Technologies (BST), a Boulder-based UAS company transitioning from R&D to production. The specialist will be the procurement and supply chain engine for BST's hardware operations, managing the day-to-day flow of materials, qualifying suppliers, and ensuring production stays on schedule. This position is central to BST's growth, impacting timely aircraft shipments, sourcing compliance, and the qualification of secondary sources for critical components. The role involves splitting time between Black Swift Technologies and the broader Krateo Sky ecosystem.
Requirements
- 3+ years of experience in procurement, purchasing, or supply chain roles within a hardware manufacturing environment (aerospace, robotics, or electronics strongly preferred).
- Hands-on experience placing and managing purchase orders for electronic components, PCBs and PCB assemblies, machined and fabricated parts, and custom assemblies.
- Ability to read and interpret engineering documentation, including bills of materials, drawings, and specifications, well enough to communicate requirements clearly to vendors.
- Familiarity with incoming quality processes such as receiving inspection, non-conforming material reports (NCMRs), and corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs), including counterfeit part avoidance and component traceability practices common to aerospace supply chains.
- Strong negotiation and vendor communication skills, with the follow-through to expedite critical parts under schedule pressure.
- Organized and self-directed, comfortable owning the full procurement cycle on a small team.
Nice To Haves
- Experience with NDAA compliant sourcing, Blue UAS requirements, export controlled (ITAR/EAR) hardware handling, or broader defense and government supply chain compliance.
- Experience with international logistics, customs clearance, and HTS classification.
- Experience in low-volume, high-mix manufacturing environments where flexibility matters as much as unit cost.
Responsibilities
- Execute and manage purchase orders (POs) for mechanical parts, electronic components, PCBs, and custom assemblies; track orders from placement to delivery and proactively expedite parts to prevent production delays.
- Manage daily vendor communications regarding pricing, lead times, and delivery schedules, and maintain accurate, up-to-date records of this data.
- Monitor and manage inventory levels to balance production demands with working capital targets.
- Coordinate inbound logistics and resolve shipping, customs, or receiving discrepancies.
- Evaluate potential and active suppliers based on cost, capacity, reliability, and technological capabilities; conduct supplier scorecards and performance reviews.
- Identify and qualify additional sources for critical components to build a resilient, multi-sourced supply chain, including supporting new product introduction (NPI) as products move from R&D into full-scale production.
- Collaborate with Quality and Engineering to ensure incoming materials meet aerospace and robotics specifications; manage NCMRs and drive CAPAs with suppliers to resolve issues at the root cause.
- Serve as the primary liaison between external suppliers and internal cross-functional teams (R&D, Hardware Engineering, Production, and Finance).
- Ensure supply chain decisions and suppliers support company and customer compliance requirements (e.g., NDAA, Blue UAS).
- Identify opportunities for process improvement, cost reduction, and efficiency gains across the procurement cycle.
Benefits
- Comprehensive medical coverage with multiple plan options
- Dental and vision coverage
- HSA and FSA options, with employer HSA contributions available
- Company-paid Long-Term Disability, voluntary Short-Term Disability, and Life/AD&D insurance
- 24/7 Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for counseling, legal, financial, and wellness support
- Fertility and family-forming support through Carrot
- Pre-tax commuter benefits for transit and parking
- Additional voluntary benefits available (pet insurance, legal services, and more)
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
No Education Listed
