Physical AI Hardware Procurement Lead (Delivery Hardware) - Arctic Engine

Apna; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 558,000 - 893,000; Full time

Job summary

Arctic Engines is seeking a Procurement Lead to source and manage hardware for field data collection. You will procure cameras, power banks, cables, SD cards, and laptops, coordinating global suppliers to ensure timely delivery and working condition.

Location: Bangalore, 2–4 years in hardware procurement, 3 months contract, monthly CTC 50–80k. Work from Office, 6 days a week; negotiation and import basics essential.

Qualifications

• 2–4 years of experience in hardware or electronics procurement.
• Experience buying from overseas suppliers (China, Taiwan, US, Europe or similar).
• Strong negotiation and quote comparison skills.
• Basic understanding of camera specs, SD card speeds, and power bank ratings.
• Familiar with import basics: duties, shipping terms and customs paperwork.
• Strong follow-up habit and attention to detail.
• Working knowledge of Excel and procurement/ERP tools.
• Bachelor's degree in engineering, supply chain, or related field.

Responsibilities

• Buy stereo and mono cameras from global suppliers and manufacturers.
• Source power banks, cables, SD cards and other accessories in bulk.
• Decide laptop and desktop configurations for data upload with the tech team.
• Compare quotes, negotiate prices, and set payment terms and delivery dates.
• Check supplier quality, order samples, and maintain a list of trusted vendors.
• Manage imports, shipping and customs for overseas orders.
• Track every order and follow up to prevent delays.
• Handle defects, returns and replacements; keep spare stock ready.
• Track spend against budget and report costs regularly.

Skills

Negotiation

Vendor management

Attention to detail

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering, supply chain, or related field

Tools

Excel

ERP / procurement tools

Job description

About Arctic Engine:

Arctic Engines is an enterprise-grade Al human data operations company specializing in high-quality training data, RLHF, and human feedback pipelines for frontier Al models. We are part of the Apna Group, one of India's fastest-growing unicorns, backed by marquee investors such as Lightspeed, Tiger Global, Insight Partners, Peak XV, and others. With native access to Apna's 60M+ workforce, we deliver high-quality training data at unmatched scale and speed.

The role

We are looking for a Procurement Lead to buy and manage the hardware our field teams use to collect and upload data. This includes cameras, power banks, cables, SD cards and laptops or desktops. You will source from global markets, get fair prices, and make sure kits reach our teams on time and in working condition

Location: Bangalore
Experience: 2-4 years
Open Positions: 1 (3 months contract)
CTC: 50-80k
Work Mode: Work from Office | 6 days a week

What You Will Do

• Buy stereo and mono cameras from global suppliers and manufacturers
• Source power banks, cables, SD cards and other accessories in bulk
• Decide laptop and desktop configurations for data upload (storage, RAM, ports, GPU if needed) with the tech team
• Compare quotes, negotiate prices, and agree on payment terms and delivery dates
• Check supplier quality, order samples, and keep a list of trusted vendors
• Manage imports, shipping and customs for overseas orders
• Track every order and follow up so nothing gets delayed
• Handle defects, returns and replacements, and keep spare stock ready
• Track spend against budget and report costs regularly

What You Need

• 2 to 4 years of experience in hardware or electronics procurement
• Experience buying from overseas suppliers (China, Taiwan, US, Europe or similar)
• Good at negotiating and comparing quotes
• Basic understanding of camera specs (resolution, lens, frame rate), SD card speeds, and power bank ratings
• Comfortable with import basics: duties, shipping terms and customs paperwork
• Strong follow-up habit and attention to detail
• Working knowledge of Excel and a procurement or ERP tool
• Bachelor's degree in engineering, supply chain, or a related field

Good to Have

• Experience buying stereo or depth cameras, or camera modules
• Knowledge of air travel rules for power banks and batteries
• Experience setting up bulk laptop or desktop orders
• Existing contacts with hardware suppliers and marketplaces such as Alibaba or Digi-Key
• Experience in a fast-moving startup or robotics company

What Success Looks Like

• Field kits are ready and delivered on time, with no data collection delays
• Lower costs through better deals and more than one supplier for key items
• Fewer faulty units and faster replacements
• A reliable global supplier list built within the first year