Buyer & Purchasing Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Welcome to Backburner Labs  

Backburner Labs is an engineering consultancy in St. Paul that designs and builds products our clients can't build alone: medical devices, industrial systems, robotics, things that often don't exist until we make them. That's the engineering side. 

None of it works without the business behind it. We've doubled revenue every year for five years and are preparing to move into a new headquarters to match. Growth like that doesn't happen without finance, operations, logistics, and salespeople who are just as sharp and just as accountable as the engineers down the hall. 

We're still small enough that your work is visible, not buried in a process nobody remembers building. You'll help create the systems this company runs on as it scales, not just maintain ones someone else already figured out. 

If you'd rather build something than babysit it, you'll fit in here. 

Help build the company that's building what's next. 

Quick Facts

• Founded: 2019  
• Company: ~50 people (full-time and contract employees)  
• Current location: St. Paul - St. Anthony Park area 
• Future location: Minneapolis - Prospect Park area (we have leased a 43,000 sq ft building) 
• Revenue: doubled every year for 5 years (more details shared later) 
• Client retention: 93% 

Position Overview

Backburner Labs is an engineering consultancy and contract manufacturer that designs and builds products our clients can’t build alone: medical devices, industrial systems, robotics, and things that often don’t exist until we make them. That work depends on getting the right parts, from the right suppliers, at the right price, on time.

We’re looking for a hands-on Buyer to own purchasing and improve how it works as we grow. You’ll source from domestic distributors, fabrication partners, and overseas manufacturers; place and track purchase orders; and work with engineering, manufacturing, and our CFO to keep projects supplied and costs visible. You’ll also own manufacturing inventory; shipping is a secondary part of the role.

Details

• Reports to: Manufacturing Operations Manager
• Works closely with: CFO, engineering, manufacturing, and project owners
• Status: Full-time employee
• Team : ~8
• Salary: $70,000 – $80,000
• Location: In person in St. Paul (St. Anthony Park), with a planned move to Minneapolis (Prospect Park)
• Interview process (about 2.5 weeks):
  • Video call with our Head of Talent
  • Video call with the Manufacturing Operations Manager
  • In-person panel interview and tour
  • Decision

Key Responsibilities

Purchasing & Supplier Management

• Source electronic components, mechanical hardware, fabricated parts, and indirect materials from suppliers such as Mouser, DigiKey, McMaster-Carr, SendCutSend, CDW, and Uline.
• Request and compare quotes on price, availability, lead time, and freight; negotiate terms and identify second sources.
• Source parts from China and other international suppliers, accounting for quality requirements, shipping, tariffs, and total delivered cost.
• Own supplier accounts and relationships, including setup, payment terms, supplier records, and tax-exemption documentation.
• Convert BOMs and build plans into purchase plans; flag long-lead, single-source, and end-of-life parts early.

Purchase Tracking & Follow-Through

• Create and manage purchase orders from request through delivery; confirm acknowledgements and expedite as needed.
• Maintain a clear view of open orders, expected arrival dates, costs, and project assignments.
• Resolve delays, backorders, incorrect shipments, and returns (RMAs) before they disrupt a build, balancing fast-turn prototype buys against planned production orders.

Process Improvement & Financial Coordination

• Build a consistent purchasing intake process: required specifications, quantities, need dates, project codes, and approvals.
• Work with our CFO on payment terms, invoice discrepancies, and project cost tracking.
• Improve purchasing workflows and records in our ERP/MRP system (Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central), using Arena PLM for BOM and item information.

Inventory Management

• Own manufacturing inventory accuracy: on-hand balances, stock locations, and ERP transactions.
• Receive material against purchase orders and packing slips, verifying part number, quantity, and condition.
• Run cycle counts, maintain reorder points and lot/serial traceability, and support kitting and material readiness for builds.

Shipping & Logistics (Secondary)

• Coordinate parcel (FedEx, UPS) and LTL shipments, labels, BOLs, supplier returns, and freight claims.

Qualifications

Required

• 2+ years of hands-on purchasing supporting engineering, manufacturing, or hardware products, including personally requesting quotes, issuing POs, and following them through delivery.
• Hands-on inventory experience: receiving, cycle counts, and reconciling ERP records to physical stock.
• Comfort with technical part information, clear communication, and the ability to keep many orders moving without losing details.

Preferred

• Sourcing from Chinese manufacturers or other international suppliers.
• ERP/MRP purchasing and inventory workflows; Microsoft Dynamics experience is highly valued, and Arena PLM is a plus.
• Buying electronic components, mechanical hardware, or custom-fabricated parts, including MPNs, MOQs, and lead times.
• Purchasing in a regulated environment (e.g., ISO 13485 or medical devices).
• Working with finance on approvals, payment terms, invoices, and cost tracking, and improving a purchasing process in a growing organization.

NOTE: You do not need to know every supplier or component we use, but you do need to take ownership, communicate clearly, and follow through.

ALL ARE WELCOME

We're proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We welcome people of all backgrounds and believe different experiences, perspectives, and ideas make our team and our work better. If you're excited about the role, we encourage you to apply.

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