Metals Buyer

Ascent Aerospace – Inspiring the next generation of flight!

Ascent Aerospace is a world-renowned, single-source provider of production and automated assembly systems for the aerospace and defense industry. We provide high-precision advanced automated equipment as well as a full suite of both mold and assembly tooling required for the aerospace manufacturing market, including the largest Invar molds ever made— making us the largest tooling group in the industry. We work with our customers to develop their project and see it through, from process engineering to build and installation, to ensure it is an efficient and cost-effective solution.

As a true, single-source integrator, we have proven tools to surpass our customer expectations. We have greater control of timing and schedules, which allows for 100% accountability, and avoids costly mark‑ups, ultimately saving our customers money. The result: a group of businesses, each an industry leader within their own discipline, now acting as one truly integrated supply base.

Ascent Aerospace is seeking a Raw Material / Metals Buyer to manage the sourcing, purchasing, and supplier relationship activities for specialty metals and raw material commodities — including aluminum, steel, and other alloys — supporting aerospace manufacturing programs. This role is responsible for ensuring on‑time, cost-effective, and fully compliant procurement of raw materials in accordance with DFARS, ITAR, AS9100, and customer‑flowdown quality requirements.

The ideal candidate combines strong commercial negotiation skills with technical fluency in metals specifications, mill certifications, and regulated aerospace supply chain documentation.

• Source, negotiate, and purchase raw materials (aluminum plate/bar/sheet, steel tube, specialty alloys, forgings, and castings) from qualified mill and service center suppliers (e.g., Alro, Ryerson, Metals USA, and similar distributors/mills)
• Manage purchase order issuance, expediting, and on‑time delivery across a vendor base supporting hundreds of active suppliers
• Track and analyze requisition‑to‑PO cycle time and other procurement KPIs; identify and resolve process bottlenecks
• Monitor commodity market pricing trends (e.g., LME aluminum, steel index pricing) and proactively manage cost exposure through forward buys, index‑based contracts, or supplier negotiations

• Ensure all raw material purchases comply with DFARS 252.225‑7009 specialty metals requirements, including melt‑and‑pour origin traceability and the COTS/forgings‑castings carve‑back provisions
• Maintain ITAR awareness and ensure procurement activity aligns with export control and USML classification requirements
• Review and validate Material Test Reports (MTRs) / Certified Mill Test Reports (CMTRs) for conformance to specification (ASTM, AMS, SAE) and customer flowdown requirements
• Support supplier AS9100/ISO 9001 qualification and maintain documentation for audit readiness

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with mills, service centers, and distributors; conduct supplier performance reviews and score carding
• Negotiate pricing agreements, blanket POs, and contract terms; resolve nonconforming material and invoice discrepancies
• Identify and qualify alternate/backup sources to mitigate single‑source and supply chain risk
• Lead or support cost‑reduction initiatives, including specification review, material substitution analysis, and process‑driven savings opportunities

• Partner with Engineering, Quality, and Production Planning to align material specifications, lead times, and inventory strategy
• Support new program launches with material sourcing strategy and supplier readiness
• Provide input on make/buy decisions and bill‑of‑material (BOM) accuracy

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent combination of education and experience)
• 3–7+ years of buying/procurement experience, with direct experience purchasing metals or raw materials in an…