Materials Manager

Vital Lyfe; Rapid City (SD); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Vital Lyfe seeks a Materials Manager to own the flow, accuracy, and readiness of materials across operations in a fast-paced, hardware-focused environment. You will lead inventory personnel, ensure correct receipt, storage, issuance, and shipping, and drive cross-functional resolution of material issues to scale fulfillment and manufacturing systems.

This role requires at least 2+ years in materials or warehouse leadership, strong ERP/MRP experience, and a commitment to on-site work at our

Qualifications

• 2+ years in materials management, inventory control, warehouse operations, or supply chain in a manufacturing or hardware environment.
• 2+ years leading teams or supervising materials/warehouse personnel.
• Experience with ERP/MRP systems and maintaining data integrity.
• Knowledge of inventory accuracy practices, traceability, and material flow in production.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage competing priorities.
• Ability to work on-site in a fast-paced hardware environment.

Responsibilities

• Oversee end-to-end materials operations to support production and engineering needs.
• Ensure timely movement of materials between receiving, storage, production, and shipping.
• Ensure outbound shipments have documentation, traceability, and proper packaging.
• Maintain visibility of critical shipments and accurate shipment records in systems.
• Maintain accurate inventory records and resolve discrepancies.
• Ensure inventory control including shelf-life, FIFO, storage requirements, and configuration compliance.
• Coordinate picking, kitting, staging, and material fulfillment to meet work order commitments.
• Maintain inventory levels and organized storage to support demand.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to resolve material and fulfillment issues.
• Drive continuous improvement, cost efficiency, and operational metrics.
• Maintain safe, audit-ready operations aligned with safety and quality standards.

Skills

Inventory management

Team leadership

ERP/MRP systems

Materials flow

Data integrity

On-site work

Education

Bachelor's degree in supply chain, logistics, or related field

Tools

ERP/MRP software

Inventory management systems

Barcode scanning

Job description

About Vital Lyfe

At Vital Lyfe, we are on a mission to solve global water scarcity by creating innovative desalination systems. This is an opportunity to join a passionate, multidisciplinary team tackling one of the world’s most critical challenges, water.

Mission

The Materials Manager owns the flow, accuracy, and readiness of materials across Vital Lyfe operations. This role ensures all parts, assemblies, and hardware are received, stored, moved, issued, and shipped correctly to support production, engineering, and customer delivery. The Materials Manager leads inventory personnel, maintains inventory integrity, drives cross-functional resolution of material issues, and continuously improves processes to scale our fulfillment and manufacturing systems.

What You'll Do

• Oversee end-to-end materials operations, ensuring parts and hardware are received, stored, issued, and available to support production and engineering needs.
• Ensure timely and accurate movement of materials between receiving, storage, production lines, and shipping to support operational flow and schedule demands.
• Ensure outbound shipments are executed correctly and on time, with all required documentation, traceability, and packaging/handling completed to preserve product integrity through delivery.
• Maintain visibility and status communication for critical shipments and ensure shipment records remain accurate in required systems.
• Maintain accurate inventory records and system integrity, including resolution of discrepancies and required adjustments.
• Ensure inventory is properly controlled, including shelf-life, FIFO/stock rotation, environmental/storage requirements, and configuration/revision compliance.
• Ensure picking, kitting/de-kitting, staging, and material fulfillment activities support schedule and work order commitments.
• Maintain inventory levels and storage organization necessary to support operational demand.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to resolve material, inventory, and fulfillment issues and to disposition obsolete or excess inventory.
• Drive continuous improvement, cost efficiency, and achievement of site operational metrics.
• Maintain safe, clean, and audit-ready operations in alignment with all safety, quality, and compliance requirements.

Minimum Qualifications

• 2+ years of experience in materials management, inventory control, warehouse operations, or supply chain roles in a manufacturing or hardware environment.
• 2+ years of experience leading teams or supervising materials/warehouse personnel.
• Working knowledge of inventory accuracy practices, traceability, and material flow in production environments.
• Experience operating within ERP/MRP systems and maintaining high data integrity.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage priorities across production, engineering, and shipping demands.
• Proven ability to drive process improvements and resolve operational issues cross-functionally.
• Ability to work on-site in a fast-paced hardware environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting regulated or high-reliability manufacturing environments
• Familiarity with quality-driven inventory controls (serialization, lot trace, shelf-life).
• Experience scaling warehouse/material systems for new product introduction and growth manufacturing.
• Lean/continuous improvement background
• Forklift/material handling certification (or ability to obtain).

Physical / Working Requirements

• Ability to work in warehouse and production areas with routine lifting, carrying, and movement of materials.
• Ability to stand/walk for extended periods and work around active operations safely.
• Must be able to lift 50 lbs. unassisted.
• Must be able to climb ladders and be comfortable working in tight spaces.
• Must be able to move repetitively, bend or twist, and use hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls.

Why Join Vital Lyfe?

• Work on high-impact problems with global relevance
• Help scale breakthrough technology in water security and climate resilience
• Early ownership in a high-growth, engineering-led startup
• Join a tight-knit, mission-driven team in a fast-paced environment
• Build long-term career equity as we grow

Location Requirement: Ability to work 100% onsite in Torrance, CA (remote or hybrid work will not be considered)

Vital Lyfe is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Vital Lyfe is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.