Buyer/Planner

U.S. Fusion Energy; Energy (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 145,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Employee equity stock options

20 days PTO

Job summary

Thea Energy is seeking a highly motivated Buyer/Planner to manage day-to-day material requirements and procurement for our commercial fusion systems. You will manage BOMs, source suppliers, and oversee orders through delivery into inventory to support rapid hardware development.

Ideal candidates have 5+ years in high-tech purchasing, ERP/MRP experience (SAP/Oracle/NetSuite), strong Excel analytics, and excellent communication to bridge engineers and suppliers in a fast-paced startup environment.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in buying, planning, or material control within a high-tech or aerospace environment.
• Experience with ERP/MRP tools (SAP/Oracle/NetSuite) for purchasing and inventory management.
• Strong Excel-based forecasting and data modeling.
• Excellent communication between engineers and suppliers.
• Organizational skills to manage a high volume of concurrent purchase orders in a startup or rapid R&D prototype environment.
• Ability to occasionally lift objects up to 50 lbs.

Responsibilities

• Own the purchasing lifecycle from requisition through delivery for specialized manufacturing components, commodity hardware, software and supplies.
• Analyze engineering drawings and Bills of Materials (BOM) to plan material requirements, working with engineering and prototyping teams to adjust as designs iterate.
• Source and qualify suppliers for new parts, running a competitive process negotiating price, lead time, and delivery terms.
• Maintain the procurement and supplier database ensuring high accuracy for all part prices, lead times, supplier information, and purchase order documentation.
• Expedite supply priorities and track supplier performance against on-time delivery, quality, and cost targets.
• Coordinate logistics including freight, customs documentation, and handling requirements for hazardous and cryogenic materials.
• Manage day-to-day inventory levels to prevent shortages while minimizing excess stock holding costs.

Skills

ERP/MRP systems

Excel analytics

Communication

Organizational skills

Ability to lift 50 lbs

Cross-functional collaboration

Tools

SAP

Oracle

NetSuite

Job description

Buyer/Planner

Kearny, NJ

Finance & Operations – Supply Chain

Full-time

On-site

About Thea Energy

Thea Energy is leveraging recent breakthroughs in stellarator physics and engineering to create a faster and simpler approach to commercializing fusion energy. The company is reinventing the stellarator using computer-controlled arrays of planar coils thereby replacing the intricate, complex modular magnets required in all other stellarator architectures. Thea Energy is on a mission to create a limitless source of zero emission energy for a sustainable future.

Position Overview

Thea Energy is looking for an experienced, highly motivated Buyer/Planner to manage day-to-day material requirements and procurement for our commercial fusion systems. You will oversee the material lifecycle, working with engineering to develop bills of materials, source and negotiate with appropriate suppliers, and manage orders through delivery into inventory. This role demands an organized, quick-moving professional who can keep materials on schedule within the rapid timelines and evolving priorities of a hardware startup.

Key Responsibility Areas

• Own the purchasing lifecycle from requisition through delivery for specialized manufacturing components, commodity hardware, software and supplies.
• Analyze engineering drawings and Bills of Materials (BOM) to plan material requirements, working with engineering and prototyping teams to adjust as designs iterate.
• Source and qualify suppliers for new parts, running a competitive process negotiating price, lead time, and delivery terms.
• Maintain the procurement and supplier database ensuring high accuracy for all part prices, lead times, supplier information, and purchase order documentation.
• Expedite supply priorities and track supplier performance against on-time delivery, quality, and cost targets
• Coordinate logistics including freight, customs documentation, and handling requirements for hazardous and cryogenic materials.
• Manage day-to-day inventory levels to prevent shortages while minimizing excess stock holding costs.

Ideal Experience & Skillsets

• 5+ years of experience in buying, planning, or material control within a high-tech or aerospace environment.
• Proficiency with ERP/MRP tools (e.g., SAP, Oracle, NetSuite) for purchasing, receiving and inventory management.
• Strong analytical skills using Excel and data models to forecast material demand under shifting timelines.
• Exceptional communication skills to act as a bridge between engineers and suppliers.
• Proven organizational skills with the ability to manage a high volume of concurrent purchase orders in a startup or rapid R&D prototype environment.
• Ability to occasionally lift objects up to 50 lbs.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health benefits (e.g., medical/dental/vision)
• Employee equity stock options
• 20 days PTO

$120,000 - $145,000 a year

It’s not necessary to meet all of the skillsets outlined above. Please feel free to send us a note and tell us why you would still be a great fit for this role or Thea Energy.

Diversity And Inclusion

Thea Energy is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a company of diverse backgrounds. By creating a diverse environment, we will bring new ideas and approaches to solving some of the world’s hardest (and most important) problems. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, family or marital status, age, disability, veteran’s status or other characteristic protected by applicable laws and regulations.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.