Hardware Procurement Specialist

Job description

Gritt https://www.gritt.ai/ is an intelligent system that combines robotics and AI to build the infrastructure that pulls society forward. Gritt deploys via simple attachments to common equipment found on construction sites and autonomously performs labor-intensive tasks, verification, and planning. Gritt systems are already building critical infrastructure in the harshest outdoor environments, starting with large-scale solar. The founding team https://www.gritt.ai/team includes experts in robotics and AI from Carnegie Mellon, Stanford, and MIT. Gritt is backed by Obvious Ventures, Union Square Ventures, First Round Capital, Climactic, Congruent Ventures, and other leading firms. ABOUT THE WORK Our hardware team builds the physical layer the AI runs on - the platform that puts intelligence on a machine and sends it to work. We integrate perception, industrial sensors, compute, and robotic actuators to create autonomous field systems that can perceive, decide, and act on a real job site. In practice, that means this role lives at the intersection of sourcing, vendor management, and hardware execution. The right person is comfortable sourcing brackets, fasteners, and structural parts one hour, chasing down a LiDAR lead time the next, and keeping an accurate database of exactly what we have, what we need, and when it arrives. THE ROLE You'll work hand-in-hand with the mechanical team. They flag what's needed and when; you make sure it arrives on time, at the right price, at the right quality. This is a hands-on, on-site role for someone who is prompt, organized, and wants to build deep procurement and supply chain expertise inside a fast-moving robotics company. WHAT YOU'LL DO SOURCING & PURCHASING - Source off-the-shelf parts. Procure mechanical components - ranging from brackets, mounts, fasteners, and structural and machined parts to LiDAR units, cameras, compute modules, cabling, and connectors - that go into each system. - De-risk long-lead items. LiDARs, industrial cameras, and compute modules often have multi-week lead times - anticipate them, place orders early, and qualify alternates before a delay becomes a blocker. - Keep the floor stocked. Make sure engineers never stall waiting on a part and have the right components, in the right place, when they're needed. VENDOR MANAGEMENT & COST - Manage vendors. Build and maintain relationships with mechanical suppliers, sensor and compute distributors, and local machine shops. Negotiate price, lead time, and quality. - Control cost. Keep spend visible per system, push back on inflated quotes, and help the team make cost-aware sourcing decisions. PURCHASE ORDERS, INVENTORY & BOMS - Track POs and inventory. Own purchase orders end-to-end, track shipments, and keep an accurate picture of what we have, what we need, and when it arrives. - Maintain BOMs & kits. Keep accurate bills of materials per system configuration, work from mechanical drawings and CAD data, and kit together the parts as needed. - Close the feedback loop. Capture sourcing and quality issues found during assembly, testing, or deployment and feed them back into vendor selection and purchasing so we don't see them twice. WHO YOU ARE - 1-5 years of experience in procurement, purchasing, supply chain, or operations, ideally in a hardware, robotics, mechanical, aerospace, automotive, or manufacturing environment. Strong internship experience counts. - Hungry to grow. You're early in your career and want to build real expertise fast, with increasing ownership as we scale. - Prompt and on top of things. You return messages quickly, you don't let things sit, and people trust you to follow through. You create POs, poke the right people to ensure payments are made on time, etc. - Organized by default. You naturally keep clean vendor records, PO trackers, and BOMs. When the existing system has a gap, you notice it and raise it rather than letting it quietly cause problems. - Comfortable with hardware. You can read a mechanical drawing, understand a bill of materials, talk to a machine shop, and source a LiDAR or industrial camera. Or you are eager to learn. - A people connector. You can work with mechanical engineers, suppliers, and leadership - and translate between them. - Calm under pressure. When a part is late, you don't spiral. You make a plan and execute. - Mission-driven. You want to work on something that matters. Helping build the infrastructure of the future is exciting to you, not just a job. TOOLS & SYSTEMS YOU'LL WORK WITH - Procurement & Sourcing: Direct supplier portals, plus Digi-Key, McMaster-Carr, and Misumi for off-the-shelf parts. For sensors and compute: working directly with LiDAR, camera, and compute vendors. - Custom fabrication: Self-serve fab services like SendCutSend, Xometry, or OshCut to reorder quick-turn machined and laser-cut parts - as well as direct relationships with local machine shops for more recurring custom work. We have a purpose-built in-house database tool for BOM, inventory, and PO tracking. It's already in daily use - your job is to run it well, know it like the back of your hand, and flag or propose improvements as gaps show up. As we grow, there may be a future case for moving to an ERP/MRP or PLM system. NICE TO HAVE - Experience procuring custom machined or fabricated parts (CNC, sheet metal, weldments) alongside off-the-shelf hardware. - Familiarity sourcing sensors and compute - LiDAR, industrial cameras, NVIDIA Jetson / x86 compute modules, GPUs, automotive-grade cabling and connectors - and checking for environmental rating. - Hands-on experience using or helping stand up an ERP/MRP or PLM system at a hardware startup. - Background working alongside mechanical, electrical, and firmware engineers on integrated hardware systems. - Exposure to construction equipment, heavy machinery, off-highway vehicles, or field service in real-world environments. - APICS/ASCM (CPIM, CSCP), ISM CPSM, or Lean / Six Sigma coursework. WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE IN THE FIRST 6 MONTHS - Critical parts arrive on time, and long-lead items are ordered before they become a problem. - Every system configuration has an accurate, up-to-date BOM. - Spend per system is visible, and inflated quotes get challenged. - Engineers stop losing time waiting on parts, the floor is stocked, and shipments are tracked. - Leadership can ask "what do we have and what's on order?" at any time and get a straight, accurate answer. LOCATION & LOGISTICS This is a full-time, on-site role. You'll be in our facility every work day - walking the mechanical floor, working with the team, eyes on the hardware. Hardware projects move faster when the people running them are physically present, and that's the bar we're hiring for. COMPENSATION & BENEFITS Competitive salary, meaningful equity in Gritt Robotics, and a benefits package designed for people who are building something they care about for the long haul.