Purchasing Intern

Cognitioworld; Auburn (AL); On-site; USD 21,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

Cognitioworld in Auburn, AL seeks a student intern in Purchasing/ Supply Chain to support RFQ processes, analyze proposals, and assist supplier negotiations. You will learn how to balance cost, quality, and delivery while collaborating with cross-functional teams.

You'll gain hands-on experience with SAP/ERP, create monthly reports, track cost-saving initiatives, and work with engineering, quality, and logistics teams to align purchasing goals.

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled full or part-time student at an accredited university.
• Pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Finance, or related fields.
• Interest in purchasing, supply chain, or automotive industry.
• Able to work 30 to 40 hours per week, year-round.

Responsibilities

• Support RFQ processes to obtain competitive supplier offers.
• Analyze proposals for cost, quality, and delivery performance.
• Participate in supplier negotiations with the Commodity Leader.
• Generate and monitor monthly reports for strategic management reviews.
• Follow up on and consolidate essential steel market and index data.
• Identify and suggest cost-saving opportunities and process improvements.
• Track and support cost reduction initiatives across plants and suppliers.
• Collaborate with engineering, quality, and logistics teams to align purchasing goals.
• Monitor project milestones and supplier readiness to ensure strategy execution.
• Create purchase requisitions in SAP with accuracy and timeliness.
• Manage purchase orders, confirmations, and deliveries to maintain smooth supply.
• Champion sustainability initiatives by tracking supplier actions and supporting CO₂ reduction efforts.

Skills

Analytical skills

Organizational skills

Team player with strong communication

Fluent in English

MS Office proficiency

Excel proficiency

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Excel

Job description

Your Role

Here’s what you will be doing:

• Support RFQ processes to obtain competitive supplier offers.
• Analyze proposals for cost, quality, and delivery performance.
• Participate and contribute to supplier negotiations with the Commodity Leader.
• Generate and monitor monthly reports for strategic management reviews.
• Follow up on and consolidate essential steel market and index data.
• Identify and suggest cost-saving opportunities and process improvements.
• Track and support cost reduction initiatives across plants and suppliers.
• Collaborate with engineering, quality, and logistics teams to align purchasing goals.
• Monitor project milestones and supplier readiness to ensure strategy execution.
• Create purchase requisitions in SAP with accuracy and timeliness.
• Manage purchase orders, confirmations, and deliveries to maintain smooth supply.
• Champion sustainability initiatives by tracking supplier actions and supporting CO₂ reduction efforts.

About You

The company is looking for:

• Currently enrolled full or part-time student at an accredited university.
• Pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Finance, or related fields.
• Interest in purchasing, supply chain, or automotive industry.
• Good analytical and organizational skills.
• Team player with strong communication skills.
• Fluent in English; other languages are a plus.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and Excel.
• Able to work 30 to 40 hours per week, year-round.

Compensation & Benefits

• Engaging and dynamic environment contributing to sustainable mobility technologies.
• Part of the seventh-largest global automotive supplier with over 157,000 employees in 40+ countries, offering career development opportunities.
• Multicultural environment valuing diversity and inclusion with gender diversity targets and inclusion action plans.
• Commitment to CO2 Net Zero with certification under the SBTI Net-Zero Standard aligned with the 2015 Paris Agreement.

Training & Development

• Access to FORVIA University with more than 22 hours of online and in-person training on average.
• Resources and tools dedicated to maintaining leadership in mobility technology.

Career Progression

• Opportunities for career development within a global company operating in a fast-changing environment.