Overview
Buyer – Optical Materials & Supply Chain Jobs in Sarasota, FL at American Photonics
Position Summary
American Photonics is seeking an experienced Buyer with strong knowledge of optics, photonics, precision manufacturing, or related technical materials.
This role is responsible for sourcing and purchasing optical materials, substrates, components, tooling, consumables, outsourced processes, maintenance parts, and other production needs. The Buyer will work closely with Operations, Manufacturing, Quality, Product Development, Shipping/Receiving, and Accounting to ensure materials are available when needed and meet all technical, quality, documentation, and compliance requirements.
The ideal candidate understands that purchasing in a precision manufacturing environment involves more than finding the lowest price. Supplier capability, material quality, lead time, traceability, documentation, yield, and total cost must all be considered.
Key Responsibilities
- Purchase optical materials, substrates, components, tooling, consumables, outsourced services, and production supplies.
- Review purchase requirements for accuracy, including part numbers, specifications, revisions, quantities, certifications, documentation, and delivery dates.
- Obtain and compare supplier quotations based on price, quality, lead time, availability, minimum order quantities, freight, and supplier performance.
- Issue approved purchase orders and obtain supplier acknowledgments.
- Track open purchase orders, supplier commitments, backorders, shortages, and late deliveries.
- Escalate material and supplier risks before they affect production or customer delivery.
- Identify and develop qualified suppliers for critical and long-lead materials.
- Maintain accurate supplier pricing, lead times, order status, and purchasing records.
- Coordinate with Quality on supplier approval, certifications, nonconforming material, and corrective actions.
- Support production planning by providing accurate material availability and supplier lead-time information.
- Obtain material and outsourced-process costs needed for customer quotations.
- Help reduce avoidable expedite fees, excess inventory, duplicate purchases, and supplier-related disruptions.
- Coordinate with Shipping/Receiving and Accounting to resolve receiving, documentation, and invoice discrepancies.
- Follow all approved purchasing, quality, ITAR, export-control, cybersecurity, and controlled-data requirements.
Required Qualifications
- At least five years of technical purchasing, sourcing, or supply-chain experience, including direct experience in optics, photonics, laser components, infrared materials, optical coatings, or a closely related optical-manufacturing environment.
- In-depth knowledge of optical materials, substrates, precision optical components, coatings, tooling, consumables, and outsourced optical-manufacturing processes.
- Familiarity with materials used in infrared, visible, ultraviolet, laser, defense, industrial, and medical applications, including ZnSe and other optical substrates relevant to American Photonics.
- Ability to understand and purchase against material specifications, technical drawings, part numbers, revisions, tolerances, certifications, traceability requirements, and customer documentation.
- Experience evaluating suppliers based on technical capability, material quality, lead time, documentation, yield risk, total landed cost, and historical performance.
- Experience managing supplier quotations, negotiations, purchase orders, acknowledgments, shortages, backorders, long-lead materials, and late deliveries.
- Experience working with ERP, MRP, inventory, or purchasing systems.
- Strong negotiation, organizational, analytical, and written communication skills.
- Ability to identify incomplete, conflicting, or technically questionable requirements and stop a purchase until the appropriate Manufacturing, Product Development, or Quality owner provides clarification.
- Ability to work effectively with Operations, Manufacturing, Quality, Product Development, Shipping/Receiving, Accounting, and suppliers.
Preferred Qualifications
- Existing knowledge of suppliers serving the optics, photonics, laser-component, coating, and optical-material industries.
- Experience purchasing optical coatings, polishing, machining, fabrication, inspection, or other outsourced optical processes.
- Experience in an ISO 9001, ITAR-regulated, aerospace, defense, or government-contracting environment.
- Experience with supplier qualification, approved supplier lists, supplier performance management, and supplier corrective actions.
- Experience sourcing critical, single-source, long-lead, high-value, or traceability-sensitive materials.
- Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Materials Science, Manufacturing, Business, or a related field.
- CPSM, CSCP, CPIM, or a related supply-chain certification.
Pay: From $1.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Application Question(s):
- How many years of technical purchasing or supply chain experience do you have in optics, photonics, laser components, or optical materials
- Do you have hands-on experience reading and purchasing directly against technical drawings, tolerances, revisions, and material specifications?
- Which ERP or MRP inventory management systems have you used to issue POs, track lead times, and manage supplier data?
- Do you have experience working within ITAR-regulated, export-controlled, ISO 9001, or defense manufacturing environments?
- Have you managed supplier quality documentation, including Certificates of Analysis/Conformance (CoA/CoC), nonconforming material reports, and corrective action requests?
Ability to Commute:
- Sarasota, FL 34233 (Required)
Work Location: In person
Title: Buyer – Optical Materials & Supply Chain
Company: American Photonics
Location: Sarasota, FL
Category:
