Junior Supply Chain Planner Buyer

Ultimate Staffing Services; Menlo Park (CA); On-site; USD 48,000 - 63,000; Full time

Job summary

Ultimate Staffing Services is hiring an entry-level Junior Supply Chain Planner Buyer in Menlo Park, CA, to support material planning, procurement, and inventory management for clinical and commercial production.

The role emphasizes learning ERP systems (NetSuite, SAP) and collaborating with cross-functional teams in a regulated medical device environment.

Qualifications

• 0-2 years of experience in material planning, procurement, or supply chain roles; internship or co-op is a plus.
• Exposure to ERP systems, ideally NetSuite or SAP, including basic MRP, PO management, and inventory control.
• Willingness to learn in FDA-regulated environments (21 CFR Part 820) and ISO 13485 quality systems.
• Basic understanding of GMP material planning, procurement, and inventory management in clinical and commercial manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Assist in maintaining material requirements planning (MRP) for BOM and non-BOM GMP materials.
• Support procurement activities including RFQ processes, PO entry, and vendor communication.
• Help analyze demand forecasts, production schedules, and lead times for material availability.
• Prepare reports to monitor material usage, inventory levels, and cost trends.
• Coordinate with production, warehouse, QA, regulatory, and CMOs to ensure on-time delivery.

Skills

Analytical skills

Organizational skills

Excel

PowerPoint

Word

ERP systems

NetSuite

Vendor communication

Education

Associate's degree or higher

Bachelor's degree preferred

Tools

NetSuite

SAP MM

Job description

Junior Supply Chain Planner Buyer (JN -092026-431590) Menlo Park, California

Salary: USD35 - USD46 per hour

Title: Junior Supply Chain Planner Buyer

Monday to Friday 8:00AM to 5:00PM

Industry: Medical Devices

Ultimate Staffing is hiring an entry-level role that supports material planning, procurement, inventory management, and supply chain activities for both clinical and commercial production, working closely with and under the guidance of senior supply chain team members. This is a strong opportunity for someone early in their supply chain career to build hands‑on experience within a regulated medical device manufacturing environment. The ideal candidate will have some exposure to or coursework in pharmaceutical or medical device manufacturing, basic familiarity with ERP systems (particularly NetSuite), and a genuine interest in learning to manage supply chains in regulated environments. This position requires solid analytical skills, developing vendor communication abilities, and the capacity to coordinate effectively with cross‑functional teams including production, R&D, quality assurance, regulatory affairs, and contract manufacturing partners.

PRINCIPLE RESPONSIBILITIES

Material Planning & Procurement

• Assist in maintaining material requirements planning (MRP) for BOM and non-BOM GMP materials, raw materials, packaging components, and production supplies.
• Support procurement activities including RFQ processes, purchase order entry, and basic vendor communication, under the guidance of senior buyers/planners.
• Help analyze demand forecasts, production schedules, and lead times to support material availability and appropriate inventory levels.
• Prepare reports to help monitor material usage, inventory levels, reorder points, safety stock requirements, and cost trends using ERP systems.
• Support daily MRP monitoring and assist with management of purchase orders to help ensure timely procurement and receipt of materials.
• Support relationships with suppliers, contract manufacturers, and/or vendors to help ensure high-quality goods and services, competitive pricing, and on‑time delivery performance.
• Coordinate with production, warehouse, quality assurance, and supply chain teams to support appropriate procurement, scheduling, and movement of materials.
• Participate in incoming materials meetings, helping communicate material availability to support alignment with production schedules.
• Assist in resolving supplier questions and issues by coordinating with impacted departments including finance, quality, and operations.

Inventory Management & Optimization

• Monitor inventory levels and assist in maintaining appropriate safety stock formulas and reorder points specific to medical device manufacturing requirements.
• Help provide regular updates on project progress, inventory status, and material flow.
• Assist in tracking and reconciling supply plans versus build plans, escalating challenges as needed.
• Provide support for warehouse operations including receiving, inspection, storage, and material movement as needed.

Systems Management & Documentation

• Assist in monitoring and maintaining vendor master data to help ensure accuracy against overall site business policy and the Approved Supplier List.
• Enter, review, and maintain purchase orders in ERP systems (i.e. SAP, NetSuite), ensuring accuracy and compliance with procurement procedures.
• Support the maintenance and updating of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) related to procurement, material planning, and supply chain processes.

Quality & Compliance

• Follow and support compliance with FDA regulations (21 CFR Part 820), ISO 13485 quality management systems, GMP, and GDP procedures and requirements.
• Support implementation of and compliance with operational standards for supply chain excellence.

Performance Management & Continuous Improvement

• Assist in tracking and reporting on purchasing and supply chain KPI metrics.
• Contribute ideas for process optimization, cost reduction, and efficiency improvements in procurement and supply chain operations.
• Actively participate in learning opportunities and seek guidance and mentorship from senior supply chain team members to build subject matter expertise over time.

CANDIDATE MUST HAVE / BE:

• Solid analytical and problem‑solving skills with the ability to help analyze supply chain data and support data‑driven decisions.
• Good organizational skills with the ability to help prioritize multiple tasks, manage workload, and meet deadlines.
• Results‑oriented mindset with a strong focus on quality, accuracy, and attention to detail.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint); familiarity with ERP systems is a plus.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively with colleagues at various levels of the organization.
• Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in cross‑functional teams.
• Basic knowledge of, or willingness to learn, GDP (Good Distribution Practices) procedures and requirements.
• Familiarity with or interest in lean manufacturing principles, continuous improvement methodologies, and supply chain optimization techniques.
• Basic understanding of Root Cause Analysis and corrective/preventive action (CAPA) concepts.
• General understanding of the medical device product lifecycle, including clinical trials and commercial manufacturing, is a plus.
• Eagerness to learn about environmental health and safety regulations in manufacturing environments.
• Strong time management skills and ability to support multiple initiatives simultaneously.
• Openness to receiving training and mentorship to develop supply chain process and systems expertise.
• Exposure to supply chain metrics, dashboard development, or reporting is a plus.

JOB REQUIREMENTS (The minimum qualifications required to adequately perform the job.)

Experience:

• 0-2 years of experience in material planning, procurement, or supply chain-related roles; internship or co‑op experience within pharmaceutical or medical device manufacturing environments is a plus.
• Some exposure to ERP systems, ideally NetSuite or SAP (MM module), including basic familiarity with MRP processes, purchase order management, and inventory control.
• Willingness to learn and work within FDA‑regulated environments (21 CFR Part 820) and ISO 13485 quality management systems.
• Basic understanding of, or interest in, GMP material planning, procurement, and inventory management for both clinical and commercial manufacturing.
• Exposure to coordinating with contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs) is a plus but not required.
• Developing skills in vendor communication, with an interest in building vendor relationship management and negotiation abilities.
• Basic proficiency in data analysis and reporting using ERP systems and business intelligence tools.
• Exposure to master data management, including material master creation and vendor master maintenance, is a plus.
• Interest in or exposure to warehouse operations, receiving, inspection, and inventory management practices.

Education:

• Associate's degree or higher within a technical discipline or business administration; Bachelor's degree preferred.
• Equivalent combination of education and relevant coursework or experience in pharmaceutical or medical device manufacturing may be considered.