Purchasing Associate

Job Description

As a Purchasing Associate, you will help ensure the uninterrupted flow of materials and services that support manufacturing and business operations. You will work with suppliers and internal teams to procure quality products at competitive costs, maintain inventory accuracy, support compliance, and contribute to process improvements. This role is a strong fit if you enjoy solving problems, managing details, and building effective supplier relationships.

• Execute daily procurement activities, including purchase order creation, order placement, lead time verification, pricing validation, order acknowledgements, rescheduling, and supplier follow-up.
• Support procurement strategies aligned with quality, cost, and delivery objectives.
• Build and maintain supplier relationships and assist with pricing and contract discussions.
• Evaluate supplier performance, including quality, reliability, delivery, and compliance.
• Identify and help reduce supplier and supply chain risks.
• Partner with internal teams to understand sourcing needs and support supplier selection.
• Maintain accurate purchasing records and documentation.
• Resolve purchasing, supplier, inventory, or invoice-related issues in a timely manner.
• Track and report purchasing metrics, including cost and supplier performance information.
• Support continuous improvement of purchasing procedures and documentation.
• Receive, stock, organize, and issue inventory to support operational needs.
• Participate in cycle counts and physical inventory activities to support inventory accuracy and resolve discrepancies.
• Follow applicable quality procedures and support compliance with regulatory requirements, industry standards, and company policies.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• 5+ years of supply chain or purchasing experience
• Industry experience including either biotech, pharmaceutical, or medical device
• Experience using ERP systems, Ariba, Qlik, or similar procurement and analytics tools.
• Demonstrated ability and willingness to use AI tools to improve productivity,

Intermediate Level

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Germantown, MD.

The pay range for this position is $43.27 - $52.89/hr.

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

This is a fully onsite position in Germantown,MD.

This position is anticipated to close on Aug 24, 2026.

Aston Carter provides world-class corporate talent solutions to thousands of clients across the globe. Specialized in accounting, finance, human resources, talent acquisition, procurement, supply chain and select administrative professions, we extend the capabilities of industry-leading companies. We draw on our deep recruiting expertise and expansive network to meet the evolving needs of our clients and talent community with agility and excellence.

With offices across the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific and Europe, Aston Carter serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be a Clearly Rated Best of Staffing® Platinum Award winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email astoncarter for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of