MRO Buyer - Heavy Maintenance

Avocet Aviation Services; Sanford (FL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Avocet Aviation Services in Sanford, FL is seeking an experienced MRO Buyer to support our Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul operations. This role focuses on sourcing, purchasing, and expediting aircraft parts, tooling, and services while ensuring FAA compliance and adherence to our supplier requirements.

You will minimize downtime during AOG events, manage open orders, and work with OEMs and repair vendors to optimize inventory and costs.

Qualifications

• 5–8 years of purchasing or buyer experience, preferably in aviation MRO or a regulated environment.
• Strong understanding of aircraft parts, rotables, repairs, and aviation documentation.
• Experience using CMMS/ERP systems (e.g., SAP, RAMCO, AMOS, BAAN).
• Experience sourcing from approved aviation vendors in line with quality policies.

Responsibilities

• Procure aircraft parts including rotables, expendables, consumables, tooling, chemicals, and repair services.
• Source materials from approved aviation vendors in accordance with procurement and quality policies.
• Obtain competitive quotes and negotiate pricing, lead times, exchanges, and repair terms.
• Issue and manage accurate purchase orders with correct part numbers, quantities, and certification requirements.
• Expedite AOG and critical material requirements to minimize downtime.
• Track open orders and resolve delays, shortages, or discrepancies.
• Maintain supplier relationships and monitor performance related to quality and delivery.
• Assist with inventory forecasting, material planning, and optimization efforts.

Skills

Procurement

Sourcing

Negotiation

Aviation MRO

Aviation knowledge

Education

Bachelor's in Supply Chain / Aviation

Tools

AeroXchange

ILS

Part Base

SAP

RAMCO

AMOS

BAAN

Job description

Position Summary

Avocet Aviation Services is seeking an experienced MRO Buyer to support our Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) operations. This role is responsible for sourcing, purchasing, and expediting aircraft parts, components, tooling, repairs, and services while ensuring compliance with FAA regulations, quality standards, and approved vendor requirements.

The MRO Buyer plays a critical role in minimizing aircraft downtime, supporting AOG events, maintaining material availability, and controlling procurement costs in a highly regulated aviation environment.

Key Responsibilities

Procurement & Sourcing

• Procure aircraft parts including rotables, expendables, consumables, tooling, chemicals, and repair services.
• Source materials from approved aviation vendors in accordance with company procurement and quality policies.
• Obtain competitive quotes and negotiate pricing, lead times, exchanges, and repair terms.
• Issue and manage accurate purchase orders, ensuring correct part numbers, quantities, pricing, and certification requirements.

AOG & Expediting

• Expedite AOG (Aircraft on Ground) and critical material requirements to minimize operational disruption.
• Track open orders and proactively resolve delivery delays, shortages, or discrepancies.
• Support emergency and after-hours procurement activities as required.

Supplier & Vendor Management

• Maintain effective working relationships with OEMs, distributors, and repair vendors.
• Monitor supplier performance related to quality, delivery, turnaround times, and pricing.
• Support supplier qualification, corrective actions, and maintenance of the Approved Vendor List (AVL).

Inventory & Material Planning Support

• Monitor inventory levels to prevent stockouts and minimize excess inventory.
• Support material forecasting and demand planning aligned with maintenance schedules.
• Assist with inventory optimization initiatives, including slow-moving material disposition and consignment programs.

Quality, Compliance & Documentation

• Ensure all purchased materials meet FAA and regulatory requirements, including proper airworthiness documentation (FAA Form 8130-3, Certificate of Conformance, traceability).
• Maintain accurate purchasing and supplier records in the CMMS/ERP system.
• Support internal, customer, and regulatory audits by providing procurement documentation.

Cost Control & Continuous Improvement

• Support cost-reduction initiatives through strategic sourcing and approved alternate or PMA sourcing.
• Identify opportunities to improve purchasing processes, lead times, and supplier performance.
• Track procurement-related KPIs such as cost savings, on-time delivery, and AOG response.

Collaboration

• Work cross-functionally with Maintenance, Engineering, Planning, Quality, and Finance teams to resolve material issues and support operational objectives.

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required; Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, or Aviation preferred.
• 5-8 years of purchasing or buyer experience, preferably in aviation MRO or a regulated environment.
• Strong understanding of aircraft parts, rotables components, repairs, and aviation documentation.
• Preferred experience in systems like AeroXchange, ILS and Part Base
• Experience using CMMS/ERP systems (e.g., SAP, RAMCO, AMOS, BAAN).
• Strong negotiation, organizational, and communication skills.
• Ability to work under pressure in time-sensitive operational environments.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in an FAA Part 145 Repair Station environment.
• Prior AOG support experience.
• Familiarity with aviation OEMs, distributors, and repair vendors.
• Exposure to PMA parts evaluation and alternate sourcing.
• APICS/CPIM or other supply chain certification.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)

Avocet Aviation Services is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable law.

FAA / DOT Drug & Alcohol Program Compliance

This position may be subject to the FAA and DOT Drug and Alcohol Testing Program in accordance with 14 CFR Part 120 and 49 CFR Part 40. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of pre-employment drug testing and continued compliance with all applicable testing requirements.

Safety & Regulatory Compliance

All employees are required to comply with FAA regulations, company policies, safety procedures, and Quality Management System (QMS) requirements.

Job Description Disclaimer

This job description describes the general nature of the position and is not intended to be an exhaustive list of duties. Responsibilities may be modified as business needs require.