Aerospace Defense Buyer | Strategic Sourcing & Supply

Karman Space & Defense; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid time off

Health Savings Account

Company-paid life and AD&D insurance

Short-term disability

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Karman Space & Defense is seeking a seasoned procurement professional to manage supplier relationships and drive strategic sourcing for aerospace programs in a fast-paced, highly regulated environment.

You will help secure materials and services, coordinate delivery, and mitigate supply risks to keep programs on schedule. A DoD Secret clearance or ability to obtain one is required, with opportunities in a robust defense portfolio.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in supply chain management, business, engineering, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in procurement or strategic sourcing, preferably within space, aerospace, or defense industries.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (MS Office), including Excel and Outlook.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to build effective relationships.
• Proven time management skills, including managing multiple priorities and maintaining attention to detail in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated commitment to ethical practices and high attention to detail.
• A current U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Secret security clearance or the ability to obtain and maintain one.

Responsibilities

• Builds strong partnerships with internal and external suppliers to support program and production needs.
• Coordinates delivery schedules and monitors supplier performance to ensure alignment with program timelines.
• Leads regular tag-ups with suppliers to review open orders, identify bottlenecks, and address delivery risks.
• Tracks market trends and monitors material availability within the supply chain.
• Conducts Manufacturing Readiness Reviews with suppliers to evaluate production capacity, quality performance, and contractual compliance.
• Supports supply chain risk mitigation by assessing supplier strengths and weaknesses and developing contingency plans.
• Processes purchase requisitions to issue purchase orders and manages part delivery tracking.

Skills

Communication

Time management

Attention to detail

Ethical practices

Security clearance

Education

Bachelor's degree in a related field

Tools

MS Office

Excel

Outlook

Epicor ERP

Job description

Karman Space & Defense is seeking a seasoned procurement professional to manage supplier relationships and drive strategic sourcing for aerospace programs in a fast-paced, highly regulated environment.

You will help secure materials and services, coordinate delivery, and mitigate supply risks to keep programs on schedule. A DoD Secret clearance or ability to obtain one is required, with opportunities in a robust defense portfolio.