NPI Buyer Planner
Position Summary
The NPI (New Product Introduction) Buyer Planner is responsible for managing material planning, procurement, and supplier coordination to support prototype, pilot, and production builds for semiconductor gas flow control products. The role combines strategic planning, purchasing, inventory management, and cross-functional coordination to ensure timely product launches and manufacturing continuity.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and maintain production, inventory, and project schedules for NPI and manufacturing activities.
- Forecast material demand based on engineering builds, customer demand, and sales projections.
- Create and manage purchase orders for mechanical, electrical, and semiconductor components.
- Coordinate with engineering, manufacturing, quality, and suppliers to support prototype and pilot builds.
- Monitor supplier performance, lead times, shortages, and delivery schedules.
- Analyze inventory levels to minimize excess stock and prevent shortages.
- Support sourcing activities, vendor negotiations, and cost reduction initiatives.
- Maintain accurate ERP/MRP data including BOMs, lead times, and inventory records.
- Drive continuous improvement in supply chain and planning processes.
- Track build readiness and communicate risks impacting production schedules.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Operations, Engineering, or related field.
- 3-5+ years of experience in:
- Buyer/Planner roles
- Supply chain operations
- Semiconductor or electro-mechanical manufacturing
- NPI / engineering build support
- Experience with ERP/MRP systems such as SAP, Oracle, Epicor, or NetSuite.
- Strong Excel and data analysis skills.
- Ability to manage suppliers, shortages, and schedule changes in fast-paced environments.
- Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.
Preferred Experience
Candidates with experience in the following are especially valuable:
- Semiconductor equipment or gas delivery systems
- Mass Flow Controllers (MFCs)
- Vacuum or chamber hardware
- PCBAs, harnesses, sensors, and electromechanical assemblies
- Engineering change orders (ECOs)
- Prototype-to-production transitions
- Contract manufacturing (CM/JDM) coordination
- Cleanroom manufacturing environments
Typical Day-to-Day Activities
- Expedite long-lead semiconductor components
- Review shortages and clear-to-build reports
- Coordinate prototype material readiness with engineering teams
- Work with suppliers on schedule recovery and delivery commitments
- Support engineering changes and revised BOM requirements
- Track inventory and production readiness in ERP systems
- Attend daily operations/NPI meetings
Important Skills
- Material planning
- Procurement and sourcing
- Inventory management
- Supplier management
- Demand forecasting
- ERP/MRP systems
- Excel / data analysis
- Problem solving under schedule pressure
- Semiconductor manufacturing knowledge
