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Sr. Buyer/Planner
nLIGHT DEFENSE Systems, Inc.United Statesfull_timeVerifiedPosted 2 Apr 2026
💰 $115,000/yr($90,000/yr – $115,000/yr)
About the role
Who We Are At nLIGHT, we are constantly on the cutting-edge of laser technology in a massively growing market. We are a leading provider of high-power semiconductors and fiber lasers for industrial, microfabrication, and aerospace & defense applications, to name a few. Our lasers are changing not only the way things are made, but also changing the things that can be made. Headquartered in Camas, Washington, nLIGHT is a publicly listed company (NASDAQ: LASR). Senior Buyer/Planner The Senior Buyer/Planner is the functional expert responsible for end-to-end production planning and purchasing for complex, high impact product lines. This role translates demand into executable, compliant, and stable production and material plans while owning delivery, cost, risk, and supplier outcomes. The Senior Buyer/Planner solves systemic planning, scheduling, and material issues; defines and governs planning standards; mentors and develops junior Buyer/Planners; and drives continuous improvement across planning, purchasing, and ERP disciplines. Success in this role is defined by sustained operational stability, strategic supplier performance, strong cross functional influence, and measurable improvement in planning maturity and resilience.Key Responsibilities
- Optimize production flow by identifying bottlenecks, proposing load leveling strategies, and balancing capacity, material availability, and demand volatility
- Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions for chronic shortages, Work Order failures, capacity constraints, and systemic execution issues
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on planning accuracy, lead time reduction, data integrity, and schedule stability
- Support NPI item tracking and ensure planning and purchasing readiness for new product introductions
- Train and mentor Associate Buyer/Planner and Buyer/Planner I/II team members on D365, Work Order discipline, and planning and purchasing methodologies
- Participate in planning optimization initiatives and advanced D365 tooling to improve scalability and decision quality
- Monitor supplier and subcontractor contract performance to ensure compliance with contractual obligations
- Ensure compliance with Federal Acquisition Regulations, DFARS, and Cost Accounting Standards (FAR, DFARS, CAS)
- Support price and cost analysis of subcontractor proposals, ensuring alignment with sector policies and regulatory requirements
- Support audits, customer engagements, and compliance driven planning and purchasing activities
- Lead supplier and part qualification initiatives to support resiliency, scalability, and compliance
- Lead supplier negotiations and cost reduction initiatives, balancing cost, quality, delivery, and risk
- Own planning and purchasing standards, work instructions, and governance models, including Work Order policies, frozen fences, and BOM release rules
- Partner with Engineering to govern BOM accuracy, release readiness, and configuration discipline
- Partner with Operations and Engineering leadership to define and drive planning strategy
- Lead planning and purchasing integration into S&OP, ensuring alignment across forecast, capacity, inventory, and material strategies
- Own end to end production planning and purchasing for complex product lines, ensuring demand is translated into stable, executable, and compliant plans
- Ensure consistent application of planning discipline across teams and programs
- Own supplier related risk identification and mitigation strategies for assigned product lines
- Serve as a subject matter expert and escalation point for complex planning, material, and supplier issues.
- Influence cross functional decision making through clear, data driven communication and leadership presence
- 6+ years of experience in planning and purchasing, supply chain management, or manufacturing operations; prior Buyer/Planner or production leadership experience strongly preferred.
- Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, engineering, or a related field preferred, or equivalent practical experience
- Deep planning and purchasing expertise with the ability to anticipate downstream impacts of changes across the supply chain
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