Contract Purchasing & Material Planner

Tempo Innovations; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 62,000 - 79,000; Full time

Job summary

Tempo is seeking a Purchasing / Material Planner in San Diego to turn quotes into purchase orders, maintain master trackers, and ensure materials reach the right place at the right time. This 1099 independent contractor role collaborates with engineering, manufacturing, quality, and finance to keep programs on schedule and costs in check.

You will manage RFQs, POs, supplier pricing, lead times, and terms, while tracking shipments, BOM data, and cost history across programs.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of purchasing/procurement experience in hardware or manufacturing.
• Strong organizational skills with ability to manage multiple programs.
• Proficiency with spreadsheets (Excel/Google Sheets); ERP/PLM experience a plus.
• Clear written and verbal communication with suppliers and stakeholders.
• Comfortable reading engineering drawings and BOMs.
• Experience in energy, hardware, or industrial manufacturing.
• Familiarity with international shipping/logistics and customs documentation.
• Exposure to cost modeling or should-cost analysis.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and issue RFQs, collect quotes, and support supplier selection.
• Place POs and track through acknowledgement, pricing, lead times, and terms.
• Maintain the master supplier/part tracker across tooling, manufacturing, testing, and shipments.
• Flag schedule risks and supply constraints and keep stakeholders informed.
• Coordinate shipments of samples and materials with suppliers.
• Maintain BOM inputs and ensure data ties across systems.
• Document RFQs, drawings, and supplier docs for audit and reference.
• Ensure cost data is up to date and support cost analyses.

Skills

Purchasing

Supply chain

ERP/PLM

Excel/Sheets

Engineering drawings

Communication

BOM reading

International shipping

Tools

ERP systems

PLM systems

Job description

Tempo is seeking a Purchasing / Material Planner in San Diego to turn quotes into purchase orders, maintain master trackers, and ensure materials reach the right place at the right time. This 1099 independent contractor role collaborates with engineering, manufacturing, quality, and finance to keep programs on schedule and costs in check.

You will manage RFQs, POs, supplier pricing, lead times, and terms, while tracking shipments, BOM data, and cost history across programs.