Advance Procurement Engineer

The Advance Procurement Engineer is responsible for proactively identifying future supply chain, technology, and supplier capability requirements by deeply understanding the organization's 5-year product roadmap. This role partners closely with R&D, Engineering, Product Management, and Supply Chain leadership to translate future product needs into supplier strategies, technology scouting activities, and innovation partnerships. The position serves as the company's primary interface to the global supply base for emerging technologies, advanced manufacturing capabilities, and supplier-led innovation.

• Analyze 3- to 5-year product and technology roadmaps to identify future component, material, manufacturing, and capability requirements.
• Challenge assumptions and uncover unmet needs, technology gaps, risks, and supply constraints before development programs begin.
• Facilitate alignment between R&D, Engineering, Product Management, and Procurement regarding future technology direction.

• Conduct global market intelligence and technology scouting activities.
• Identify emerging suppliers, technologies, materials, and manufacturing processes that support future product requirements.
• Develop and maintain a pipeline of innovative suppliers capable of supporting next-generation products.
• Monitor technology trends, patents, startup ecosystems, industry conferences, and competitive developments.
• Establish strategic relationships with key suppliers to drive co-development opportunities.
• Create supplier innovation workshops and technology reviews.
• Introduce external innovations into product development programs.
• Evaluate supplier technology roadmaps for alignment with business objectives.

• Support concept, feasibility, and development phases of new products.
• Influence design decisions based on supplier capabilities, cost drivers, manufacturability, and technology readiness.
• Lead early supplier involvement initiatives.
• Assess sourcing risks for future technologies and develop mitigation plans.

• Serve as the primary procurement representative within advanced engineering and R&D teams.
• Present findings and recommendations to engineering, industrial design, product management leadership and executive management.

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related discipline.
• 5-7 years spanning Engineering, Product Development, Supplier Development, Advanced Sourcing, Procurement, or Technology Commercialization.
• Demonstrated success introducing new technologies or strategic suppliers into product programs.

• Occasional travel may be required (10-15%).

• Adapts to changes in the work environment;
  Manages competing priorities and demands;
  Changes approach, processes, or methods to best fit any situation;
  Ability to manage change effectively and positively;
  Ability to course correct if experiencing delays, or unexpected events.
• Collects and reviews warranty data;
  Synthesizes complex or diverse information;
  Collects and research data;
  Uses intuition and experience to complement data;
  Designs workflows and procedures.
• Works within approved budget;
  Develops and implements cost saving measure and opportunities;
  Contributes to profits and revenue;
  Conserves organizational resources.
• Displays willingness to make decisions;
  Exhibits sound and accurate judgment;
  Supports and substantiates reasoning or cause for decisions;
  Includes appropriate people in decision-making process;
  Makes timely decisions.
• Sets and achieves challenging goals;
  Demonstrates persistence and overcomes obstacles;
  Measures self against standard of excellence;
  Takes calculated risks…