Buyer - Full time - Supply Chain Purchasing

Kairos Power is a new nuclear energy technology and engineering company whose mission is to enable the world’s transition to clean energy, with the ultimate goal to dramatically improve people’s quality of life while protecting the environment. This goal will be accomplished through the commercialization of the fluoride-salt-cooled, high-temperature reactor (FHR) that can be deployed with robust safety, affordable costs, and flexible operation to accommodate the expansion of variable renewables.

Kairos Power is seeking a Buyer III to support procurement activities across Kairos Power, with a primary focus on raw material purchasing for manufacturing operations. In this role, you will partner closely with Manufacturing, Planning, Material Handling, Engineering, suppliers, and Supply Chain & Procurement (SC&P) to support material readiness, manage supplier performance, and resolve supply issues.

The successful candidate will be supported in developing deep knowledge of Kairos' raw material supplier base and manufacturing requirements while contributing ideas and improvements as their expertise grows.

Manage the full procurement lifecycle for assigned raw material commodities and support general procurement activities across Kairos Power as needed, including RFQs, purchase order placement, supplier communication, and order management.
Serve as the primary procurement point of contact for assigned raw material commodities, partnering closely with Manufacturing, Material Handling, Planning, Engineering, Finance, Legal, and SC&P leadership to support production readiness and resolve supply issues.
Develop expertise in Kairos’ raw material program requirements, supplier capabilities, manufacturing requirements, and Kairos’ procurement processes to support effective and timely purchasing decisions.
Organize and prioritize assigned procurement activities, monitor supplier commitments, proactively communicate risks and changing priorities, and work collaboratively with teammates and stakeholders to drive timely resolution of supply issues.
Obtain and evaluate supplier quotations, analyze commercial terms, support negotiations, and ensure purchase orders are accurate, compliant, and aligned with company policies and contractual requirements.
Analyze supplier performance and procurement data to identify opportunities to improve supplier reliability, inform inventory decisions, reduce risk, and support manufacturing objectives.
Build trusted relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders through clear, responsive communication while serving as a knowledgeable procurement resource and supporting knowledge sharing within the team.
Proactively identify and implement practical improvements to procurement processes, supplier management practices, and cross-functional workflows that improve efficiency, scalability, and manufacturing support.
Prepare and communicate procurement status, supplier performance, and material risk updates to internal stakeholders and leadership.
Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Operations, Engineering, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
4+ years of procurement, purchasing, or sourcing experience; candidates considered at the Buyer III level should demonstrate greater independent judgment, ownership, and experience with moderately complex procurement activities.
Experience supporting manufacturing operations through procurement, purchasing, sourcing, materials, or supply chain activities.
Experience managing supplier relationships, purchase orders, RFQs, and commercial purchasing activities.
Direct experience purchasing raw materials or production-critical manufacturing commodities is highly preferred; experience with metals, alloys, industrial materials, or similar manufacturing commodities is a plus.
Experience working cross-functionally with Manufacturing, Planning, Material Handling, Engineering, Operations, or similar internal stakeholders.
Experience using ERP or procurement systems such as Coupa, SAP, Oracle, Ariba, or equivalent.

Working knowledge of the procurement lifecycle, including supplier identification, RFQs, commercial evaluation, purchase order management, and supplier performance management.
Strong self-organization and prioritization skills with the ability to manage multiple procurement activities, follow through on commitments, and adapt to changing manufacturing and business priorities.
Apply analytical problem-solving skills and initiative to investigate unfamiliar or ambiguous procurement issues, use available information and resources, exercise sound judgment, and seek input when needed.
Openness to learning new commodities, manufacturing processes, supplier capabilities, and internal systems, with the ability to quickly apply new knowledge and expand procurement capability.
Ability to analyze supplier and procurement data, identify risks, and recommend practical actions that improve cost, schedule, quality, or reliability.
Bring a proactive, continuous-improvement mindset by identifying practical opportunities to strengthen procurement processes, supplier management practices, and cross-functional ways of working.
Ability to proactively collect, document, manage, and share procurement knowledge across the team.
Demonstrate a mission-centered and responsible approach by understanding how procurement work supports Kairos Power's goals, delivering on commitments, using resources thoughtfully, and maintaining strong safety expectations.
Ability to evaluate supplier quotations and commercial terms, assess cost and business tradeoffs, and support supplier negotiations.
Ability to interpret and apply procurement policies, purchase order requirements, and applicable contractual terms in purchasing activities.

Environmental Conditions

General office environment
Manufacturing/Industrial Environments

Reporting issues with equipment or unsafe conditions
Travel

Up to 10% travel may be required.

Seldom requires overtime

#If you work here, full-time employees (excludes interns) expect to have access to the benefits below:

Medical, dental and vision benefits for employees and their dependents
401(k) and pre-tax health insurance, dependent care, and commuter benefits (FSA)

Kairos Power is committed to building a diverse workforce that reflects the communities where we do business. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. Note: You are applying for a position that is located in a facility that handles information that is subject to export control restrictions by the Department of Energy under 10 CFR Part 810. To work in this facility, you need to be authorized by the Department of Energy to access Part 810-controlled information. Foreign nationals who are citizens of countries that are not on the Department of Energy’s general authorization list (link below) are not permitted to work in our facility unless the Department of Energy issues an export control license to the company to permit that individual to have access to Part 810-controlled information. For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Kairos Power’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

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