Purchasing Associate

Aston Carter; Riverside (CA); On-site; USD 39,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

Aston Carter in Riverside, CA is seeking an Expeditor / Purchasing Associate with experience in supply chain, direct and indirect purchasing within a manufacturing environment, preferably automotive or aerospace. The role emphasizes procurement, supplier negotiation, and data management using ERP systems.

This contract-to-hire, fully onsite position runs Monday to Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with overtime opportunities.

Qualifications

• 2+ years in purchasing or expeditor role in a manufacturing setting.
• Experience in automotive or aerospace industries.
• Intermediate to advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, VLOOKUP, formulas).
• Experience with ERP systems, ideally Epicor.
• Understanding of supply chain operations, contracts, and supplier performance metrics.
• Direct and indirect purchasing experience.
• ERP implementation experience is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Procure materials ensuring optimal cost, quality, and delivery.
• Negotiate contracts and manage supplier performance to achieve best value and schedule alignment.
• Oversee the RFQ process, procurement awards, purchase order creation, and goods receipt management.
• Analyze pricing to meet cost objectives and budgets.
• Ensure suppliers meet delivery schedules and address performance issues to avoid delays.
• Maintain corporate records and ensure compliance with NDAs, export compliance, and contracts.
• Ensure suppliers/contractors meet project timelines.
• Leverage advanced Excel tools and ERP/MRP systems to analyze procurement data and provide actionable insights.

Skills

Purchasing

Expediting

Excel (Pivot tables)

ERP systems (Epicor)

Supply chain management

Vendor negotiation

Automotive/aerospace familiarity

Direct & indirect purchasing

Tools

Epicor ERP

Job description

Job Title: Expeditor / Purchasing Associate

Job Description

We are seeking a skilled professional with experience in supply chain, direct purchasing, and/or indirect purchasing within a manufacturing environment, preferably in automotive (OEM or sub-tier supplier) or aftermarket-related operations. The ideal candidate will excel in supply chain management, purchasing, negotiation, and have experience with components procurement, logistics, warehouse operations, procurement activities, and data management. This role involves working with OEM supply chains, cost optimization, supplier management, and inventory control. Strong analytical, problem-solving, and negotiation skills are essential for success in this position.

Responsibilities

• Procure materials ensuring optimal cost, quality, and delivery.
• Negotiate contracts and manage supplier performance to achieve best value and schedule alignment.
• Oversee the RFQ process, procurement awards, purchase order creation, and goods receipt management.
• Analyze pricing to meet cost objectives and/or budgets.
• Ensure suppliers meet delivery schedules and promptly address performance issues to avoid delays.
• Maintain corporate records and ensure compliance with Non-Disclosure Agreements, Export Compliance, and Contracts.
• Ensure suppliers/contractors meet project timelines.
• Leverage advanced Excel tools and ERP/MRP systems to analyze procurement data and provide actionable insights.

Essential Skills

• 2+ years of experience in a purchasing or expeditor role.
• Experience in automotive or aerospace industry.
• Intermediate to advanced Excel skills, including pivot tables, vlookup, and formulas.
• Experience with ERP systems, ideally Epicor, with openness to other systems.
• Understanding of supply chain operations, contracts, and supplier performance metrics.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with purchase orders and RFQ processing.
• Pricing negotiation skills.
• Mix of direct and indirect purchasing experience.
• Bilingual in Mandarin is a plus but not mandatory.
• Experience in ERP implementation is advantageous.
• Adaptability to change and a growth mindset.

Work Environment

This position is contract to hire and 100% onsite from Monday to Friday, 6:00 a.m.- 2:30 pm, with opportunities for overtime. The role is within a large transit-bus manufacturer, requiring walking the production floor frequently, necessitating protective shoes. You will collaborate cross-functionally with multiple departments including purchasing, operations, engineering, and production. Initially starting with indirect purchasing, there is potential to transition to direct purchasing of raw materials. The team is extremely busy, and the procurement manager works long hours, so the ability to pick up tasks quickly and adapt to evolving business processes is crucial. The environment is dynamic due to ongoing ERP implementation and increased workload from recently awarded projects.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Riverside, CA.

Pay And Benefits

The pay range for this position is $28.00 - $33.50/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)

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Riverside, CA.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 6, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Riverside,CA.

About Aston Carter

Aston Carter provides world-class corporate talent solutions to thousands of clients across the globe. Specialized in accounting, finance, human resources, talent acquisition, procurement, supply chain and select administrative professions, we extend the capabilities of industry-leading companies. We draw on our deep recruiting expertise and expansive network to meet the evolving needs of our clients and talent community with agility and excellence. With offices across the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific and Europe, Aston Carter serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® Platinum Award winner for both client and talent service.

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.

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.