Procurement Specialist II

Inversion is an aerospace and defense company pioneering advanced reentry technology to enable next-generation capabilities from space. By combining high-performance materials, precision aerodynamics, and mission-driven autonomy, Inversion is transforming reentry into an operational capability for an entirely new class of missions.

The company’s highly maneuverable reentry spacecraft, Arc, is designed for rapid global cargo delivery, hypersonic testing, and other national security missions that require precise, controlled flight through the atmosphere. Arc creates an entirely new transportation domain, unlocking unprecedented speed and global reach.

Headquartered in Los Angeles, Inversion designs, manufactures, and integrates its spacecraft under one roof, enabling the company to move rapidly from concept to flight. The company is backed by leading investors including Y Combinator, Spark Capital, and Lockheed Martin Ventures, with customers across the U.S. government and commercial space industry.

A competent p rocurement team is critical in building a compliant supply chain for spaceflight hardware. The ideal candidate will combine deep knowledge of aerospace sourcing with agility required to thrive in a fast-paced engineering startup.

The Procurement II role will serve as the link between our internal engineering teams and our external supply chain. In this dynamic role, you will take ownership of the Approved Supplier List and drive the end-to-end sourcing process for high-reliability aerospace hardware. Your focus will be on navigating complex government and aerospace contracts, rigorously auditing vendors to ensure uncompromising quality compliance, and building agile supplier partnerships that can keep pace with our aggressiv e development schedules.

You will man age the purchasing and planning for all engineering-related materials, parts and equipment while driving delivery to ensure we meet engineering project needs . We are looking for a proactive professional who can seamlessly translate complex technical requirements and engineering changes into executable procurement strategies that directly support our mission.

• Qualify, quote, audit and manage suppliers, specialized machine shops, and special-process vendors (heat treat, plating, NDT, etc.)
• Enforce strict supply chain documentation compliance including Certificates of Conformance, Material Test reports, First Article Inspections, etc.
• Track supply delivery and quality metrics, and drive root-cause corrective actions for vendor escapes
• Prepare and execute procurement negotiations, expedite long-lead hardware and execute dual-sourcing strategies to eliminate single-point supply failures
• Serve as primary operational liaison between internal engineering requirements and vendor technical capabilities
• Identify opportunities for cost savings, lead-time reduction, supplier consolidation, improved material availability, etc.
• Support inventory planning by helping maintain appropriate stock levels of materials, parts and supplies for engineering needs while minimizing excess inventory and obsolescence risk
• Ensure purchases comply with company procurement policies, applicable industry regulations, safety requirements and documentation standards

• Typically, 4+ yearsof direct purchasing or procurement experience within the aerospace industry, defense sector, or government contracting space
• Demonstrated understanding of aerospace and government contract types, compliance requirements, and standard flow-down clauses
• Proven ability to independently audit and vet suppliers for strict quality assurance
• Experience owning end-to-end purchasing and material-planning execution for engineering…