Buyer

nLIGHT, Inc.; Longmont (CO); On-site; USD 65,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Time Off

Paid holidays

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Tuition Assistance

Health insurance (ACA Gold Plan)

Vision and Dental care

Job summary

nLIGHT-DEFENSE Systems, Inc. in Longmont, CO is seeking a Buyer to support procurement and inventory management by coordinating with engineering, facilities, and program managers to ensure orders are on schedule.

Reporting to the Supply Chain Operations Manager, you will execute POs, monitor deliveries, analyze ERP data, and drive supplier performance while maintaining high internal and external customer satisfaction.

Qualifications

• 5+ years' experience in Purchasing and/or Supply Chain, with direct engineer coordination preferred.
• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Manufacturing Operations, Business Administration, Operations Management or equivalent experience.
• Experience with ERP/MRP systems; AX experience is a plus.
• Strong communication, negotiation, and problem-solving abilities.

Responsibilities

• Execute and monitor purchase orders and coordinate with suppliers to monitor order delivery and resolve issues related to delivery, payment, or quality.
• Evaluate and maintain ERP for assigned items, ensuring system validity and integrity.
• Participate in cross‑functional teams chartered with improving supplier performance across electrical, mechanical, optical, and equipment commodities.
• Act as a conduit between suppliers and nLIGHT personnel to resolve delivery, quality, and technical issues.
• Improve internal and external customer satisfaction.
• Comply with Supply Chain, Accounting, and Purchasing procedures.
• Coordinate resolution of invoice discrepancies.
• Identify and implement new part numbers and sourcing requirements.
• Ensure appropriate cycle‑count accuracy and cadence.
• Generate, maintain, and present KPIs for the supply chain organization.

Skills

Attention to detail

Negotiation skills

Communication skills

Time management

Problem solving

Cross-functional teamwork

Ability to work under pressure

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Manufacturing Operations, Business Administration, Operations Management or equivalent

Tools

AX ERP

Microsoft 365

Power BI

Job description

Location

Longmont, CO (onsite)

Experience

5+ years' experience in Purchasing and/or Supply Chain. Experience in Research and Development with direct engineer coordination preferred.

Minimum Education

Bachelor's Degree in Supply Chain, Manufacturing Operations, Business Administration, Operations Management or equivalent experience.

Compensation

$65,000-$105,000 depending on experience.

Company Overview

nLIGHT-DEFENSE Systems, Inc. is one of the nation's leading developers of Directed Energy systems, a top modernization priority of the Department of Defense. Their High Energy Laser (HEL) systems, Adaptive Optical (AO) systems, and Acquisition / Pointing / Tracking (APT) solutions are designed to overcome the most difficult challenges facing the deployment of high energy laser solutions to the United States military and allies. Located in Longmont, Colorado, nLIGHT-DEFENSE is a vertically integrated business from semiconductor device to target identification, delivering high-performance, cost-effective solutions. Headquartered in Camas, Washington, nLIGHT is publicly listed (NASDAQ: LASR).

Summary

Reporting to the Supply Chain Operations Manager, the Buyer’s primary responsibilities are to support cross‑functional team members through procurement and management of goods and services to meet internal and external customer demands. The role includes coordinating with engineering, facilities, and program managers to ensure orders are executed on schedule and participating in all aspects of inventory management.

Security Clearance

All applicants must possess or be qualified to obtain a U.S. DoD Personnel Security Clearance. Preference will be given to candidates with an existing clearance. Further information on requirements to obtain a clearance is available at https://www.dcsa.mil/mc/pv/mbi/gicp/.

Responsibilities

• Execute and monitor purchase orders and maintain proactive communication with suppliers to monitor order delivery, shipment tracking, and resolve issues related to delivery, payment, or quality.
• Evaluate and maintain ERP for assigned items, ensuring system validity and integrity.
• Participate in cross‑functional teams chartered with improving supplier performance across electrical, mechanical, optical, and equipment commodities.
• Act as a conduit between suppliers and nLIGHT personnel to resolve delivery, quality, and technical issues.
• Improve internal and external customer satisfaction.
• Comply with Supply Chain, Accounting, and Purchasing procedures.
• Coordinate resolution of invoice discrepancies.
• Identify and implement new part numbers and sourcing requirements.
• Ensure appropriate cycle‑count accuracy and cadence.
• Generate, maintain, and present Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the supply chain organization.

Required Experience / Capability

• Commitment to Excellence, Attention to Detail, Pride in Workmanship.
• Ability to work in a dynamic environment and maintain composure under pressure.
• Effectively manage schedule and priorities with minimal daily direction to meet mid‑to‑long‑term objectives.
• 1–5 years' experience in Purchasing and/or Supply Chain, high‑tech industry preferred.
• Bachelor's Degree in Supply Chain, Manufacturing Operations, Business Administration, Operations Management or equivalent experience.
• Working knowledge of an ERP/MRP environment; AX experience is a plus.
• Effective interpersonal and negotiation skills.
• Ability to make decisions and solve practical problems in environments where standardization is limited.
• Experience with Microsoft 365 Suite: Excel, PowerPoint, Dynamics, and Power BI.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

Benefits Summary

• 4 weeks of Paid Time Off per year.
• 11 paid holidays.
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
• Tuition Assistance Program.
• Health (ACA Gold Plan), Vision and Dental Care paid 100% for employees and 75% for dependents.
• Paid Family Leave; Short and Long Term Disability paid 100% by employer.
• Competitive 401(k) with company match and immediate vesting.

Equal Opportunity Employer

nLIGHT is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or age. If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation in the application or hiring process, please contact Human Resources at [e-mail].