Job Title:  Commodity Buyer

At Zygo, your skills and insights will be integral to our core values of curiosity, collaboration, and persistence. For more than 50 years, Zygo Corporation has been a global leader in the design and manufacture of advanced optical metrology systems, ultraprecision optical components, and complex electro-optical assemblies. Our solutions enable breakthroughs across semiconductor, aerospace, medical, and research industries - where precision truly matters. Join a team where technical excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement are not just expected, but celebrated.

As a Commodity Buyer located in MIddlefield, CT, you will support the development and execution of sourcing strategies for assigned commodities within our manufacturing supply chain. This individual-contributor role combines strategic sourcing project ownership, supplier relationship management, cost improvement, and disciplined purchasing execution. Working closely with the Commodity Manager and partnering across Engineering, Operations, Quality, Planning, and Finance, you will translate approved commodity strategies into sourcing actions that improve cost, quality, delivery, and continuity of supply.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Sourcing & Supply Base Management

• Support commodity strategy development through spend analysis, supplier market research, regionalization, and assessment of cost, capacity, and supply risk.

• Own assigned sourcing projects, including RFQs, bid analysis, supplier recommendations, and implementation of approved sourcing decisions.

• Execute supplier consolidation and spend-leverage initiatives while coordinating transitions to protect production continuity.

• Manage assigned supplier relationships and maintain action plans aligned with commodity objectives.

Purchasing Execution & Supply Continuity

• Review MRP requirements and execute purchase orders, releases, reschedules, and cancellations within established authorization limits.

• Maintain accurate supplier commitments and purchasing data, including pricing, lead times, minimum order quantities, and order multiples.

• Expedite shortages and past-due orders, monitor supplier capacity and delivery risks, and coordinate recovery actions.

• Support alternate-source qualification, dual sourcing, and approved sourcing transitions while minimizing disruption and excess inventory.

Cost Management & Supplier Performance

• Deliver assigned cost-reduction and purchase price variance objectives through competitive sourcing, negotiation, and value-engineering support.

• Negotiate pricing, lead times, payment terms, and order quantities within delegated authority; support higher-level agreements requiring additional approval.

• Maintain supplier scorecards, analyze quality, delivery, cost, and responsiveness trends, and coordinate corrective actions.

• Conduct operational supplier reviews and track savings and performance-improvement commitments.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Continuous Improvement

• Partner with Engineering, Operations, Quality, Finance, and Planning to support production, new product introduction, and engineering changes.

• Provide quotations, lead-time analysis, capacity information, and supply-risk updates to support planning and make-versus-buy decisions.

• Support SIOP and production-readiness reviews with clear visibility to supplier constraints and recovery plans.

• Improve purchasing processes and data accuracy, share sourcing best practices, and provide technical guidance to buyers without direct supervisory responsibility.

What Success Looks Like

• Assigned sourcing projects are completed on time with well-supported supplier recommendations.

• Material availability and supplier commitments reliably support production requirements.

• Cost-reduction and PPV objectives are achieved through disciplined sourcing and negotiation.

• Supplier quality, delivery, cost, and responsiveness improve through clear performance management.

• Supply risks are identified early, recovery actions are coordinated, and significant issues are escalated appropriately.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, Operations Management, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.

• 5+ years of progressive purchasing, sourcing, or supply chain experience in a manufacturing environment, including independent management of complex supplier or material portfolios.

• Demonstrated experience owning sourcing projects, conducting RFQs and bid analysis, and negotiating supplier pricing and commercial terms; prior people-management experience is not required.

• Strong working knowledge of MRP-driven purchasing, purchase order management, shortage recovery, inventory controls, and supplier performance improvement.

Experience with domestic and international suppliers; exposure to supplier qualification, alternate sourcing, or supplier transitions is preferred.

• Strong analytical and negotiation skills, with the ability to evaluate total cost, PPV, lead times, supplier capacity, and relevant technical specifications or drawings.

• Proficiency with ERP/MRP systems and Microsoft Excel; CPSM, CPIM, or CSCP certification is preferred.

Bring your passion and commitment to Zygo, where we are curious, collaborative, persistent, and confident, and where safety and quality guide every step of our journey. Grow with us as we solve complex challenges, inspire confidence, and drive excellence in manufacturing. Are you ready to expand the boundaries of possibility, simplify the complex, and embody the values that define our success? We welcome your unique perspective and invite you to join us!

We offer competitive compensation, benefits, retirement (401k), and paid time off programs. Compensation and position level will be set based on experience.

Due to the nature of Zygo Navitar's programs and products, applicants must have the legal right to work in the US and additionally must be legally authorized to access export-controlled information and source code.