The RoleWe're rapidly scaling robot manufacturing, and Sonny is the next robot to ramp. You'll own its purchased-part supply chain end to end: the vendor base, the buys, the buffers, the cost, and the data that tells the company what we can build and when. Our critical parts come from China with 100+ day lead times, and the design is still changing monthly.
We are only as good as our suppliers - you're the person who makes that work.
We want someone as comfortable in a spreadsheet as on a call with a factory in Shenzhen. Someone who builds the tools that predict shortages instead of chasing them, and who negotiates like every dollar and every day matters - because at our scale it does. Mindset and ownership over credentials.
What You'll Own- The Sonny vendor base. Source, qualify, and manage suppliers for every purchased part on the Sonny BOM. Lead second-sourcing on single-point-of-failure parts. Build real partnerships with critical suppliers, not just transactional relationships.
- The buy. Own purchase orders, buffer strategy, and material coverage against the build plan. Decide when to bulk-order for lead-time insurance, when to air freight, and when to hold. Attach controlled drawings and revs to every PO on a critical part - no exceptions.
- Clear to Build. Build and maintain the predictive tools the company relies on: clear-to-build reports (now / 30 / 60 / 90 days), shortage callouts, lead-time trackers, and material risk dashboards pulled from ION and the build forecast. Supply Chain should get actionable buy signals from these tools, and so should Engineering and Sales.
- Cost and negotiation. Drive unit cost, payment terms, MOQs, and lead times down through structured negotiation. Own landed cost and COGS visibility for the product.
- Design change absorption. BOM and design changes on Sonny will keep coming on a cadence greater than zero. Work directly with Production Engineering and R&D through the ECO process so the supply chain absorbs changes at monthly build cutovers rather than stalling the line.
- Outsourcing strategy. Evaluate and stand up outsourced sub-assembly and contract-manufacturing options as Sonny volume grows, including offshore options.
- Supplier performance. Track on-time delivery, quality (NCMRs back to the vendor), and responsiveness. Escalate early and hard when a supplier slips.
- The system of record. Keep ION accurate: part numbers, unit costs, purchased assemblies, on-order quantities, and inventory so the shop floor and the finance team see the same truth.
What We're Looking For- 5+ years in supply chain, purchasing, or strategic sourcing for a hardware product, ideally through a new-product-introduction ramp (prototype - pilot - production)
- Hands-on experience sourcing from and managing Chinese vendors: factory qualification, PI/T/T payment structures, EXW and freight tradeoffs (sea vs. air), customs, and the reality of time-zone and communication gaps
- A proven negotiator with examples of cost, lead-time, MOQ, or terms wins you personally drove
- Strong analytical and tool-building skills: you've built clear-to-build, MRP-style, or shortage-forecasting tools in Excel, SQL, Python, or a BI tool - not just consumed them
- Fluency with an MES/ERP/PLM system (ION, NetSuite, Arena, Odoo, SAP, or similar) and comfort working from a controlled BOM with revision control
- Mechanical and electrical literacy: you can read a drawing, understand a harness spec, and talk to an engineer about why a tolerance matters to a supplier
- Willingness to be on the shop floor, in the warehouse, and occasionally on a plane to a supplier
- Bachelor's degree in supply chain, engineering, business, or equivalent experience
- Nice to Have
- Mandarin or Cantonese fluency - a real advantage in day-to-day work with our China-based suppliers
- Experience with robotics, automation, EV, drones, or other electromechanical products with motors, batteries, PCBAs, and sheet metal
- Prior experience setting up or managing a China-based sourcing presence or sourcing agent
- APICS / CPSM / CSCP certification or Lean Six Sigma training
- Experience with First Resonance ION specifically
- Contract manufacturing / EMS outsourcing experience
How We Work - Our Values in This Role- We hire against our values, and we'll interview you against them too. Here's what they look like in this seat:
- Love of the Game. You think building the supply chain for a brand-new robot is a genuinely cool problem, and you want to work with people who think so too.
- Gumption. You don't wait for a PO request to show up. You see the build plan, spot the gap, and go close it.
- Beginner's Mindset. You ask why a part costs what it costs and why the lead time is what it is. You experiment with new suppliers and new terms, and you're fine being wrong sometimes if it makes us better.
- Belief in Each Other. You hold suppliers and colleagues to a high bar and you're transparent when something is off - including with the engineer whose design change just broke your lead time.
- Keep Moving Forward. With incomplete information and a changing BOM, you find the 80/20 path, make the smart bet, and keep the line fed.
- Customer Obsession. A late part is a late robot, and a late robot is a customer who is not getting the ROI we promised. You never lose sight of what's at stake downstream.
$105,000 - $140,000 a year
Tutor offers competitive benefits including fully employer-covered health insurance, a managed 401(k), and regular in-office meals. We also offer unlimited PTO and holidays. We host social events and maintain a collaborative, low-ego work culture where people are trusted to take ownership and solve real problems.
