Principal Buyer - Phoenix, AZ

Job Description

The Principal Buyer plays a critical role in ensuring material readiness, supplier performance, and operational continuity for Mercury's rapidly expanding Phoenix manufacturing campus. This role is designed for a highly skilled supply chain professional with deep mechanical aptitude, strong analytical capability, and the ability to influence cross functional teams. As Mercury brings its new facility online, the Principal Buyer will serve as a technical procurement leader, driving sourcing strategy, mitigating risk, and enabling seamless production scaleup.

• Lead procurement activities for complex mechanical commodities, including machined parts, electromechanical assemblies, and precision components.
• Serve as the primary technical interface between suppliers, engineering, quality, and operations to ensure manufacturability, cost competitiveness, and supply continuity.
• Support the launch and rampup of the new Phoenix facility by establishing sourcing strategies, aligning material readiness plans, and coordinating with program and operations leadership.
• Analyze engineering drawings, specifications, and change notices to ensure accurate sourcing, cost impacts, and supplier capability alignment.
• Drive supplier performance through proactive engagement, rootcause analysis, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Lead negotiations for pricing, terms, and longterm agreements to optimize cost, lead time, and risk posture.
• Utilize MRP, LeanDNA, and Mercury's digital supply chain tools to manage demand, identify constraints, and drive databased decision making.
• Mentor and support junior buyers, elevating team capability and strengthening procurement discipline across the organization.
• Ensure compliance with AS9100, ITAR, and Mercury's internal quality and procurement standards.
• Provide strategic insight and recommendations to leadership regarding supplier capacity, market conditions, and longterm sourcing risks.

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Business, or related field. Equivalent hands-on experience will be considered.
• Typically requires a minimum of 6 years of procurement experience in aerospace, defense, or complex manufacturing environments.
• Strong mechanical expertise with the ability to interpret engineering drawings, GD&T, and manufacturing processes.
• Demonstrated success managing high complexity commodities and supplier portfolios.
• Proficiency with MRP/ERP systems and data driven supply chain tools.
• Exceptional communication, negotiation, and cross functional leadership skills.
• Ability to thrive in a fastpaced, growth oriented environment with evolving operational needs.

• Experience supporting facility expansions, production transitions, or new product introductions.
• Background in machining, fabrication, or electromechanical assembly supply chains.
• Lean, Six Sigma, or APICS certification.
• Prior experience in a defense regulated environment.

"This position requires you to access information that is subject to U.S. export regulations. You may only access such information if you are a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. government."

• $87,100.00 - $ annual salary for in-office or hybrid employees in FL, GA, IN, AZ, AL, MD or TX, and all remote employees
• $97,600.00 - $ annual salary for in-office or hybrid employees in VA, CA, NH or MA
• $ - $ annual salary for in-office or hybrid employees in NJ

Mercury considers a variety of factors to determine individual base salary offers to candidates, including:

• the role and related responsibilities;
• prior work experience;
• education, training, skills and certifications;
• internal equity with others employed by Mercury in similar roles;
• geographic location; and
• alignment with market data.

In addition to base salary, Mercury provides a variety of benefits for team members including:

• bonus opportunities (or special incentives for sales positions);
• health, life and disability insurance;
• company-paid holidays and time off;
• 401(k)…