Buyer Planner

Aston Carter; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 41,000 - 69,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental & vision

401(k) Plan – Pre-tax/Roth

Life Insurance (Voluntary)

Short/Long-term disability

HSA

Transportation benefits

Employee Assistance Program

PTO / Vacation

Job summary

Aston Carter is seeking a Buyer Planner in Irvine, CA to manage purchasing for 2-3 product lines and 150-250 SKUs within a medical device environment. You will leverage ERP/MRP data, forecast with Excel, and collaborate with NPI teams to support cost and supply goals.

The role requires 6+ years of supply chain experience, strong Excel skills, and BOM reading ability. This onsite position offers typical hours and a contract-to-hire path in a dynamic facility.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of supply chain experience with buying and planning.
• Experience in purchasing, planning, and inventory management.
• Strong knowledge of MRP/ERP and production planning.
• Proficiency in Excel (pivot tables, formulas, vlookup, macros).

Responsibilities

• Initiate and process Purchase Orders per MRP outputs.
• Ensure on-time delivery and negotiated pricing with suppliers.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams on receiving, inspection, and inventory issues.
• Track backorders and provide input to service operations and demand planning.
• Understand and react to job-specific metrics; identify savings opportunities.
• Negotiate raw material pricing with vendors; manage 2-3 product lines.
• Work with domestic and some international suppliers; ports/customs awareness.

Skills

MRP/ERP familiarity

Excel skills (Pivot, VLOOKUP, MACRO)

Sourcing & planning

BOM & drawings reading

Negotiation

6+ years supply chain experience

Regulated industry exposure

Education

Bachelor's degree

APICS certification (a plus)

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Job Description

A Buyer Planner is responsible for the purchasing of current and newly designed products to ensure the lowest cost and on-time delivery while processing non-conforming products. The role involves maintaining ERP data that supports production, analyzing data to recognize trends, and developing appropriate strategies to meet company costs and supply requirements. High levels of decision-making, problem-solving, reasoning, creativity, and analytical skills are essential.

Job Title: Buyer Planner

A Buyer Planner is responsible for the purchasing of current and newly designed products to ensure the lowest cost and on-time delivery while processing non-conforming products. The role involves maintaining ERP data that supports production, analyzing data to recognize trends, and developing appropriate strategies to meet company costs and supply requirements. High levels of decision-making, problem-solving, reasoning, creativity, and analytical skills are essential.

Responsibilities

• Initiate and process Purchase Orders as defined by the outputs of MRP and the Planning team.
• Ensure suppliers adhere to pricing and lead time by ensuring on-time delivery of products at the negotiated price.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to address receiving, inspection, and inventory issue resolution.
• Track and manage backorders, providing input to Service Operations, Demand Planning, and Customer Service teams.
• Understand, implement, and react to job-specific metrics.
• Identify opportunities for savings and support Strategic Sourcing through adjunct project functions.
• Manage tracking metrics for buyers and suppliers to ensure performance standards are followed.
• Utilize Excel for forecasting with at least one year of experience.
• Collaborate with the NPI team as needed.
• Handle purchasing for 2-3 product lines with 150-250 SKUs and a few NPI projects.
• Negotiate the price of raw materials with current vendors.
• Work with domestic and some international suppliers, occasionally dealing with ports/customs.

Essential Skills

• Experience in purchasing, planning, and inventory management.
• Strong knowledge of ERP systems, particularly MRP, and production planning.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables, formulas, vlookups, and macros.
• 6+ years of supply chain experience with a mix of buying and planning.
• Experience in a regulated industry, preferably medical device, biotech, or medtech.
• Forecasting experience of at least one year.
• Negotiation skills and supplier quality experience.
• Ability to read and decipher BOMs and technical drawings.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• APICS certification is a plus.
• Experience with regulated environments such as medical devices or aerospace.
• Experience with NPI and managing 250+ SKUs.

Work Environment

This role is based in a medical device production facility with an office. The standard working hours are from 8 AM to 5 PM, with some flexibility to start between 7:30 AM and 9 AM. The role requires interaction with production teams and involves hands‑on material planning and purchasing. Candidates must be comfortable walking the manufacturing floor and working in a high‑pressure environment. A sense of humor, calm demeanor, and the ability to collaborate with diverse teams are essential

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Irvine, CA.

Pay And Benefits

The pay range for this position is $45.00 - $50.00/hr.
Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.
Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre‑tax and Roth post‑tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave) Workplace Type This is a fully onsite position in Irvine,CA. Application Deadline This position is anticipated to close on Sep 30, 2026.

About Aston Carter

Aston Carter provides world‑class corporate talent solutions to thousands of clients across the globe. Specialized in accounting, finance, human resources, talent acquisition, procurement, supply chain and select administrative professions, we extend the capabilities of industry‑leading companies. We draw on our deep recruiting expertise and expansive network to meet the evolving needs of our clients and talent community with agility and excellence. With offices across the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific and Europe, Aston Carter serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® Platinum Award winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.