Senior Space Sourcing Lead — Machined Parts

Varda Space Industries; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 93,000 - 126,000; Full time

Job summary

Varda Space Industries in El Segundo, CA, seeks a Senior Sourcing Specialist to procure precision-machined components for space systems. You will manage end-to-end sourcing, RFQs, POs, and supplier performance in a fast-paced environment.

You’ll collaborate with engineering and production teams to ensure part quality, on-time delivery, and optimized cost. This full-time role requires up to 50% travel and a strong background in strategic sourcing for aerospace-grade hardware.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in the field of Supply Chain, Engineering, Business, or Finance.
• Minimum 2 years of relevant experience, ideally within space, aerospace, precision medical devices, pharmaceutical manufacturing, biotech/life sciences or similar.
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 50% of the time
• Strategic sourcing of machined components or propulsion components
• Experience translating engineering designs into demand and supply plans
• Extensive experience using MES/ERP software
• Highly adept relationship building and influencing skills, and the ability to interact and work effectively with many levels of personnel and suppliers
• Detail-oriented and able to respond quickly to a fast-moving and ever-changing environment

Responsibilities

• Own purchasing for machined components and similar commodities from quote stage to delivery
• Send RFQs, place POs, run open order report meetings with key suppliers.
• Develop understanding of supplier capacity, lead times, and cost trends
• Work closely with supply chain engineering to develop a preferred supplier network to minimize cost and lead time
• Work closely with design engineering teams to understand upcoming design releases and part changes
• Build strong relationships with suppliers and negotiate pricing and lead times to meet mission milestones
• Identify part supply constraints that may impact production schedule and create mitigation plans
• Maintain part and planning master data to accurately reflect lead-times and stock levels
• Support purchasing of various commodities and inventory operations as needed

Skills

Travel up to 50%

Strategic sourcing

Demand planning

Relationship building

Detail-oriented

Fast-paced environment

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

MES/ERP software

MS Office Suite

VBA

Smartsheet

SQL

Confluence

JIRA

Power BI

ION

Job description

Varda Space Industries in El Segundo, CA, seeks a Senior Sourcing Specialist to procure precision-machined components for space systems. You will manage end-to-end sourcing, RFQs, POs, and supplier performance in a fast-paced environment.

You’ll collaborate with engineering and production teams to ensure part quality, on-time delivery, and optimized cost. This full-time role requires up to 50% travel and a strong background in strategic sourcing for aerospace-grade hardware.