Ascent Aerospace – Inspiring the next generation of flight!
Ascent Aerospace is a world-renowned, single-source provider of production and automated assembly systems for the aerospace and defense industry. We provide high-precision advanced automated equipment as well as a full suite of both mold and assembly tooling required for the aerospace manufacturing market, including the largest Invar molds ever made— making us the largest tooling group in the industry. We work with our customers to develop their project and see it through, from process engineering to build and installation, to ensure it is an efficient and cost-effective solution. As a true, single-source integrator, we have proven tools to surpass our customer expectations. We have greater control of timing and schedules, which allows for 100% accountability, and avoids costly mark-ups, ultimately saving our customers money. The result: a group of businesses, each an industry leader within their own discipline, now acting as one truly integrated supply base.
SUMMARY OF POSITION
Ascent Aerospace is seeking a Raw Material / Metals Buyer to manage the sourcing, purchasing, and supplier relationship activities for specialty metals and raw material commodities — including aluminum, steel, and other alloys — supporting aerospace manufacturing programs. This role is responsible for ensuring on-time, cost-effective, and fully compliant procurement of raw materials in accordance with DFARS, ITAR, AS9100, and customer-flowdown quality requirements. The ideal candidate combines strong commercial negotiation skills with technical fluency in metals specifications, mill certifications, and regulated aerospace supply chain documentation.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Sourcing & Procurement
- Source, negotiate, and purchase raw materials (aluminum plate/bar/sheet, steel tube, specialty alloys, forgings, and castings) from qualified mill and service center suppliers (e.g., Alro, Ryerson, Metals USA, and similar distributors/mills)
- Manage purchase order issuance, expediting, and on-time delivery across a vendor base supporting hundreds of active suppliers
- Track and analyze requisition-to-PO cycle time and other procurement KPIs; identify and resolve process bottlenecks
- Monitor commodity market pricing trends (e.g., LME aluminum, steel index pricing) and proactively manage cost exposure through forward buys, index-based contracts, or supplier negotiations
Compliance & Quality
- Ensure all raw material purchases comply with DFARS 252.225-7009 specialty metals requirements, including melt-and-pour origin traceability and the COTS/forgings-castings carve-back provisions
- Maintain ITAR awareness and ensure procurement activity aligns with export control and USML classification requirements
- Review and validate Material Test Reports (MTRs) / Certified Mill Test Reports (CMTRs) for conformance to specification (ASTM, AMS, SAE) and customer flowdown requirements
- Support supplier AS9100/ISO 9001 qualification and maintain documentation for audit readiness
Supplier Relationship Management
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with mills, service centers, and distributors; conduct supplier performance reviews and scorecarding
- Negotiate pricing agreements, blanket POs, and contract terms; resolve nonconforming material and invoice discrepancies
- Identify and qualify alternate/backup sources to mitigate single-source and supply chain risk
- Lead or support cost-reduction initiatives, including specification review, material substitution analysis, and process-driven savings opportunities
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Partner with Engineering, Quality, and Production Planning to align material specifications, lead times, and inventory strategy
- Support new program launches with material sourcing strategy and supplier readiness
- Provide input on make/buy decisions and bill-of-material (BOM) accuracy
REQUIRED SKILLS, EDUCATION, AND EXPERIENCE
- Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent combination of education and experience)
- 3–7+ years of buying/procurement experience, with direct experience purchasing metals or raw materials in an aerospace, defense, or automotive manufacturing environment
- Working knowledge of common metal specifications and grades (e.g., aluminum 6061/7075, A36, 1018, A500/A513 tube, A572) and associated ASTM/AMS standards
- Familiarity with DFARS specialty metals clauses, ITAR, and other defense-related regulatory compliance requirements
- Understanding of MTRs, mill certifications, BOMs, and material traceability documentation
- Proficiency with ERP/MRP systems (SAP preferred) and advanced Excel skills for cost and vendor analysis
- Strong negotiation, supplier management, and cross-functional communication skills
- Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience purchasing for AS9100/NADCAP-certified manufacturing environments
- Professional certification such as CPSM, CPM, CSCP, or APICS/CPIM
- Experience with SRM/SaaS procurement platforms and process automation tools
- Prior experience supporting cost-savings or supplier-consolidation initiatives
- Knowledge of forgings/castings procurement and qualification processes
- Eligibility for or current possession of a U.S. security clearance, or ability to obtain one
- Experience in both aerospace and automotive raw material sourcing environments
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY
TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
- Less than 10% - minimal travel to distributors or specialty metals mills may be required.
WORKING CONDITIONS
Working conditions described here are representative of those that may be experienced by an employee on a daily basis while performing the functions of this job.
- Typically sits for extended periods at a computer workstation
- May access and work in the manufacturing plant
- While performing the duties of this job, employee may be exposed to moving mechanical parts, fumes and airborne particles
- The employee may be exposed to vibration
- The employee is occasionally exposed to caustic chemicals. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate
- May be required to travel to other site locations during the work day
- May be required to work weekends to meet department and business demands
- Work with safe manufacturing processes and understand that eyewear is mandatory in the manufacturing area.
- Knows that safety shoes are recommended in the manufacturing area
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PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
- Must be able to sit, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl.
- Must be able to see, talk, hear, touch, feel and reach with hands and arms.
- Must be able to frequently walk and stand for short periods of time
- Must be able to lift and move up to 35lbs, occasionally lift and move objects up to 50lbs.
BENEFITS
- Medical Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Short- and Long-Term Disability Insurance
- Life Insurance
- AD&D Insurance
- PTO
- 401k Match
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
Employment is contingent upon successfully passing an employee reference check, criminal background check, and drug screening.
This position requires use of information that is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). All applicants must be U.S. persons within the meaning of ITAR. ITAR defines a U.S. person as a U.S. Citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident (i.e. 'Green Card Holder').
Ascent Aerospace is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, genetic information, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected category under applicable federal, state, and local laws. If you have a disability and you believe you need a reasonable accommodation in order to search for a job opening or to submit an online application, please call toll-free +1 586-726-0500. This phone number is created exclusively to assist disabled job seekers whose disability prevents them from being able to apply online. Only messages left for this purpose will be returned. Messages left for other purposes, such as following up on an application or technical issues not related to a disability, will not receive a response.
No Unauthorized Referrals from Recruiters & Vendors
Please note that Ascent Aerospace does not seek or accept unsolicited resumes or offers from third party recruiters or staffing agencies associated with any published or unpublished employment opportunities. Any unsolicited information sent to Ascent Aerospace will be considered as unencumbered and free from any fee or charge whatsoever. Only members of our Human Resources Team have the authority to engage or authorize recruiting services, which must be agreed upon before the unsolicited resume or offer is received.
