Purchasing Assistant

Aston Carter; Apple Valley (CA); On-site; USD 32,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental & vision

401(k) Retirement Plan

Life Insurance

Short and long-term disability

HSA

PTO/Leave

Job summary

Aston Carter is seeking a Purchasing Agent to procure materials and services for a precision aerospace and defense manufacturing operation in Apple Valley, CA. The role emphasizes PO management, inventory control, and on-time delivery coordination in an ITAR environment.

The position is a 100% onsite contract with strong potential to convert to direct employment, and requires collaboration within a small team and regular floor presence for issue resolution.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 1 year of experience as a purchasing agent, junior buyer, or in a similar purchasing or procurement role.
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills, including pivot tables.
• Familiarity with ERP/MRP systems; JobBOSS experience preferred but any ERP/MRP system acceptable.

Responsibilities

• Procure materials, shop supplies, consumables, and services for ongoing manufacturing operations.
• Place purchase orders per approved supplier list and track deliveries to meet production requirements.
• Monitor inventory levels and follow up on PO delivery dates to avoid missing customer due dates.
• Coordinate material and service deliveries with production schedules and customer commitments.
• Source and obtain competitive quotes; maintain purchasing documents and logs per procedures.
• Use ERP/MRP to enter and manage purchase orders and related data.
• Ensure ITAR compliance and alignment with Quality Management System in all purchasing activities.
• Collaborate with a small team and walk the floor during month-end and inventory counts.
• Support continuous improvement of purchasing processes and long-term department growth.

Skills

Purchasing experience

Pivot tables

Microsoft Excel

Verbal instructions comprehension

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

JobBOSS

Job description

Job Description

The Purchasing Agent is responsible for procuring all materials and services required to support manufacturing operations, including job-specific materials, shop supplies, consumables, and outsourced processes. This role focuses on managing purchase orders, monitoring inventory, coordinating material and service deliveries, and aligning purchase order due dates with customer commitments to support on-time delivery goals. The Purchasing Agent maintains purchasing logs and documentation, supports various manufacturing-related tasks, and ensures compliance with the organization’s Quality Management System and ITAR requirements.

Job Title: Purchasing Agent

The Purchasing Agent is responsible for procuring all materials and services required to support manufacturing operations, including job-specific materials, shop supplies, consumables, and outsourced processes. This role focuses on managing purchase orders, monitoring inventory, coordinating material and service deliveries, and aligning purchase order due dates with customer commitments to support on-time delivery goals. The Purchasing Agent maintains purchasing logs and documentation, supports various manufacturing-related tasks, and ensures compliance with the organization’s Quality Management System and ITAR requirements.

Responsibilities

• Procure all required materials, shop supplies, consumables, and services to support ongoing manufacturing operations.
• Place purchase orders for materials and outside service providers in accordance with the approved supplier list.
• Monitor and manage inventory levels to ensure materials and supplies are available to meet production requirements.
• Follow up on purchase orders to confirm delivery dates and ensure customer due dates are not compromised.
• Coordinate and schedule material and service deliveries to align with production schedules and customer commitments.
• Effectively manage the correlation between purchase order due dates and customer due dates to support on-time delivery goals.
• Source and obtain competitive quotes for various materials and processes, ensuring quality and cost-effectiveness.
• Maintain designated locations and organization for vendor-required fixtures and related materials.
• Create, review, and maintain purchasing-related documents, logs, and records in accordance with company procedures.
• Utilize ERP/MRP systems to enter, track, and manage purchase orders and related purchasing data.
• Interpret and understand work orders, verbal instructions, and manufacturing requirements to ensure accurate procurement.
• Support manufacturing activities by coordinating materials and services needed for CNC tube bending, machining, welding, brazing, and assembly operations.
• Adhere to the organization’s Quality Management System requirements in all purchasing activities.
• Operate within an ITAR-compliant environment and follow all related policies and procedures.
• Collaborate with a small purchasing team to manage workload and support increased production demands.
• Walk the manufacturing floor regularly, especially during month-end and inventory count periods, to coordinate materials and address issues.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of purchasing processes and support the long-term growth of the department.

Essential Skills

• Minimum of 1 year of experience as a purchasing agent, junior buyer, or in a similar purchasing or procurement role.
• High school diploma or equivalent as a minimum education requirement.
• Experience working in an ITAR-compliant environment or ability to meet ITAR compliance requirements.
• Hands-on experience with ERP or MRP systems; familiarity with JobBOSS is preferred but experience with any ERP/MRP system is acceptable.
• Proficiency in managing purchase orders, including creation, tracking, and follow up.
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills, including the ability to work with pivot tables.
• Ability to read, understand, and act on work orders and verbal instructions related to manufacturing requirements.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to maintain logs, documentation, and fixture locations accurately.
• Attention to detail and ability to align purchase order due dates with customer delivery requirements.
• Effective communication skills to coordinate with internal teams and external suppliers.
• Ability to work onsite full-time and collaborate within a small team environment.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience in a precision manufacturing environment, particularly aerospace, defense, space, or semiconductor industries.
• Familiarity with CNC tube bending, machining, welding, brazing, and assembly operations and the materials associated with these processes.
• Experience supporting highly regulated, quality-driven industries and working within a formal Quality Management System.
• Ability to source and negotiate quotes for specialized materials and processes.
• Comfort working in a fast-paced environment with increasing workload and evolving priorities.
• Interest in long-term career growth, with the potential to transition from contract to direct employment based on performance and fit.

Work Environment

This role is based 100% onsite in an ITAR-compliant precision aerospace and defense manufacturing setting in Apple Valley, California. The organization specializes in CNC tube bending, machining, welding, brazing, and assembly of complex tubing systems used in aerospace, space, defense, and semiconductor applications, performing multiple highly specialized manufacturing processes under one roof. The work schedule follows an alternative 4/10 format, Monday through Thursday from 6:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with some overtime as needed. The position starts as a minimum 6-month contract, with a strong possibility of transitioning to a direct, long-term role due to sustained workload. The purchasing team is small and collaborative, currently composed of three people with a fourth team member expected to return from leave, and this role has been added to support increased demand. The Purchasing Agent works primarily in a secondary office adjacent to the main manufacturing site, spending most of the time in the office while frequently walking the manufacturing floor, especially during month-end and inventory count periods. The dress code is business casual, typically jeans and a neat shirt, along with safety shoes that the employee will need to provide. The environment emphasizes quality, regulatory compliance, and teamwork, offering room for growth for individuals who show initiative and are the right fit for the role.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Apple Valley, CA.

Pay And Benefits

The pay range for this position is $23.00 - $25.00/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 Apple Valley,CA.

Application Deadline This position is anticipated to close on Sep 25, 2026.

About Aston Carter

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.