Purchasing Intern

Position Summary:

The Purchasing Intern will develop a strong understanding of cost management, trade coordination, and the purchasing lifecycle within the homebuilding industry. This role provides hands-on experience in bid analysis, scope of work development, and process improvement, including building tools to support purchasing operations. The intern will have the opportunity to shadow the end-to-end purchasing cycle for a community and contribute to real-world projects, culminating in a final presentation summarizing key workflows, insights, and controls.

The program will be in session from June 8 - July 31 and based in Irvine, CA.

Job Duties :

General Responsibilities:

• Assist with bid solicitation, organization, and leveling of trade partner proposals.
• Support scope of work reviews and documentation updates to improve contract clarity and reduce risk.
• Maintain and analyze cost tracking spreadsheets and budget variance reports.
• Conduct trade partner and material pricing research to support competitive bidding efforts.
• Prepare summary reports and presentations to communicate findings and recommendations to the Purchasing team.
• Provide support with contracting processes and change orders.

Learning Opportunities:

• Shadow key meetings and trade partner interactions, including bid reviews and cross-functional coordination discussions to understand how purchasing decisions impact construction timelines and budgets.
• Gain hands-on experience with industry tools and systems, including Excel-based cost models, bid leveling templates, and internal purchasing platforms, along with exposure to responsible AI use for data organization and analysis.
• Take ownership of a defined project, such as organizing trade scopes for a specific community or developing a cost comparison tool, with clear deliverables and feedback from leadership.
• Observe the full purchasing lifecycle, from bid solicitation through contract execution, to build understanding of pricing strategy, risk mitigation, and vendor selection.

Key Qualifications:

• Strong interest in learning about vertical construction, trade coordination, and cost control within the homebuilding industry.
• Ability to review data, compare bids, identify discrepancies, and draw logical conclusions
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including working with spreadsheets, basic formulas, data organization, and cost comparisons.
• Strong attention to detail, with the ability to review scopes of work and proposals to identify gaps, overlaps, or inconsistencies.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills for preparing summaries and collaborating with team members and trade partners.
• Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple assignments and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Special Projects:
Interns will actively participate in projects within their team and department contributing to real business initiatives throughout the program. In addition, each intern will be responsible for completing a final project at the end of the internship showcasing the skills, knowledge, and insights they have gained as well as highlighting their contributions to the organization.

Compensation:
The hourly rate for this role is $20.00, with wages paid on a bi-weekly basis.

Benefits:

• Gain valuable experience in the residential construction and real estate industries.
• Attend workshops designed to build professional development and career readiness.
• Participate in executive meetings to learn from senior leadership and gain insight into high-level business strategy.
• Network with professionals of all levels across multiple lines of business.

Physical Requirements:

This is primarily a sedentary position. Requires the ability to hear, type and talk. Finger dexterity is required to operate a computer keyboard. The primary work location is a corporate office with low to moderate noise levels. Appropriate business apparel and professional appearance are expected.

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Disclaimer:
Risewell Homes is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States and currently enrolled in a trade school, college, or university.