Purchasing Specialist

Star Catcher Industries, Inc. (Star Catcher) was founded in 2024 by multiple time successful space entrepreneurs Andrew Rush and Michael Snyder and experienced VC and operator Bryan Lyandvert to eliminate power constraints on satellites and other spacecraft by constructing the Star Catcher Network: the world’s first space-based energy grid. Star Catcher’s proprietary power beaming technology will beam power to other satellites in space as a service, enabling client spacecraft to use their existing solar arrays to receive more power, more consistent power, and higher concentrations of power in order to increase capability and uptime as well as reduce upfront spending and overall mission cost.

Star Catcher Industries, Inc. (Star Catcher), located in Jacksonville, FL, has an immediate opening for a Purchasing Specialist. We are seeking a proactive, sharp, and highly organized individual to manage our procurement workflows. As a Purchasing Specialist, you will be responsible for sourcing the critical components and materials required for our aerospace missions, ensuring everything arrives on time and within budget. This role is essential for maintaining our production speed and providing visibility into our spending. 

Responsibilities:

• Purchasing Execution: Handle the daily lifecycle of an order by creating Purchase Orders (POs), submitting them to vendors, and tracking every shipment until it is physically received and verified at our facility. 
• Vendor Management: Build and maintain professional relationships with suppliers; negotiate basic terms, request formal quotes, and hold vendors accountable to delivery dates.
• Lead Time Tracking: Proactively monitor order statuses and alert engineering and leadership of any potential delays that could impact project timelines.
• Financial Accuracy: Reconcile invoices with packing slips and POs to ensure we are billed correctly before passing documentation to the finance team.
• Inventory Oversight: Work closely with the operations team to monitor stock levels and trigger re-orders for mission-critical supplies before they run out.
• Process Improvement: Develop and refine digital filing systems and workflows to make the purchasing process more efficient as the company scales.

Minimum Qualifications:

• 1–2 years of experience in a role involving purchasing, inventory management, logistics, or high-volume administrative coordination..
• Strong Negotiation & Math Skills: Ability to compare complex quotes and ensure unit pricing and shipping costs align with our budget.
• Excellent Communication: Professional and assertive communication style for navigating vendor delays and internal team requests.
• Extreme Attention to Detail: A "double-check everything" mindset, particularly when dealing with technical part numbers and quantities.
• Time Management: Ability to prioritize urgent "hot" orders while maintaining steady progress on long-lead-time items.
• Resourcefulness: A knack for finding hard-to-reach parts or alternative suppliers when a standard vendor is out of stock.
• Passion for Space: A desire to contribute to the success of an aerospace company and learn the technical side of the industry.

Ideal Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in related field
• File & Calendar Management: Proficiency in Google Workspace (Drive, Docs, Sheets) or Microsoft 365 for tracking orders, managing contracts, and setting follow-up reminders.
• Communication Tools: Experience using Slack or similar platforms for real-time internal coordination and status reporting.
• Spreadsheet Proficiency: Ability to use Excel or Google Sheets to create trackers, compare vendor pricing, and run basic spend reports.
• Startup Experience: Comfort with ambiguity and the ability to build processes from scratch rather than just following a manual.
• Logistics Knowledge: Basic understanding of shipping terms (e.g., freight, lead times, and customs) is a significant plus.