Prototype Buyer

Job Overview

The Prototype Buyer keeps our prototype builds supplied. When engineering needs parts in days, you get the quotes, place the order, track it, and get it to the bench or our prototype contract manufacturer on time.

This role is about speed and clean execution. Every open order has a current status, every build starts with a shortage list nobody is surprised by, and engineers spend their time designing, not chasing parts.

This role reports to the Director of Supply Chain and works on site with our engineering team in Carlsbad.

Scope

Prototype and early-build purchasing across the BOM: quick-turn machined and sheet metal parts, PCBs, cables and harnesses, catalog and distributor components, and build consumables. You buy direct and coordinate with our prototype CMs on what they buy for us.

Production commodity strategy, supplier negotiation, and long-term supplier selection sit with our sourcing managers. You feed them a clean record of what we bought, from whom, and at what price, so they're not starting from scratch when a part heads to production.

This role starts as an individual contributor.

Who this role is for

You've bought parts for prototype or low-volume builds in a hardware environment. You know which quick-turn shops deliver, how to get a quote back the same day, and what to do when a part shows up wrong a day before a build.

You're organized and fast. You keep a live list of every open order and you know its status without having to look it up.

You tell engineers bad news early. If a part will be late, they hear it from you the day you find out, with an alternative.

You like being where the work happens: at the bench, in the lab, walking a part over to the person who needs it.

This role is not a fit if

• You want to own supplier strategy or long-term negotiations. That sits with our sourcing managers.
• You need stable designs and a locked BOM to work effectively. This role lives in the period before that's true.
• You're looking for a remote role. This job is on site with engineering.
• You would find a startup operating tempo frustrating.
• You need close day-to-day management. This role requires someone who runs their own list.

What you'll do

Fast-turn buying

• Get quotes from quick-turn shops and distributors and place POs fast, often the same day.
• Hit turn targets, such as 5-day turns on quick-turn parts where suppliers can support it.
• Compare quotes on landed cost, including duties and freight, when buying from Asia.
• Build and maintain a bench of reliable quick-turn suppliers by category.

Order tracking and build readiness

• Track every open prototype order from PO through receipt in one current list engineering can check.
• Publish a shortage list ahead of each build. Chase late orders and escalate early when a build date is at risk.
• Receive and reconcile deliveries, get parts to the bench or prototype CM, and sort out short shipments, wrong revisions, and damaged goods.

Partnership

• Work with engineers daily on what's changing, what to buy, and by when.
• Coordinate with our prototype CMs on what they buy versus what we buy, and keep a record of parts they source on our behalf: supplier, price, and lead time.
• Hand that purchasing history to our sourcing managers as parts move toward production.
• Keep PO records clean for finance: pricing, receipts, and accruals.

Required Qualifications

• 3-4 years in buying, purchasing, or procurement in a hardware, electronics, or manufacturing environment.
• Experience buying for prototype, NPI, or low-volume builds, including quick-turn suppliers.
• Comfortable reading a BOM and a basic part drawing.
• Strong organization and follow-through across many open orders at once.
• Able to work on site in Carlsbad, CA.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in battery, energy storage, power electronics, EV, or other hardware-adjacent categories.
• Experience with quick-turn machining, sheet metal, or PCB suppliers.
• Experience working alongside a contract manufacturer's buying team.
• Early-stage startup experience.

Compensation and Benefits

• Competitive cash compensation plus equity, depending on level and location.
• Salary range: $105,000 - $125,000 depending on experience and qualifications.
• Company equity.
• Health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Flexible PTO with a generous holiday policy.
• On site in Carlsbad, CA. Occasional travel to our prototype contract manufacturers.

Ready to work on power systems that matter? Let's talk.