Procurement Prototyping Specialist

Procurement Prototyping Specialist

Department: Manufacturing Operations - Prototyping Program Management

Job Type: Contractor – Indefinite/ benefited w/ Health, Dental, Vision, 401k

Location: Foster City, CA

Job Description: The Procurement Prototyping Specialist will support the prototyping team by swiftly obtaining external quotes and maintaining relationships with various manufacturing suppliers. This crucial role collaborates closely with fabrication, CNC, and additive prototyping teams to manage vendor setup, quoting, negotiations, and purchase request coordination. Additionally, the specialist will perform vendor and system audits to ensure supplier security and compliance.

Core Role & Reporting

• Embedded daily with the Prototyping team (Manufacturing Operations - Prototyping Program Management)

• Partly reports into the broader Procurement organization

• Acts as a key "cog in the machine": bridges engineering/prototyping needs with external suppliers for rapid turnaround

Primary Focus & Materials

• Sourcing and coordinating low-volume prototypes (typically 1–100 parts): custom parts (machined, fabricated, 3D printed), assemblies, and raw materials.

• Supports rapid prototyping needs across ~3000 Zoox employees

Key Responsibilities

• Engage vendors quickly to obtain quotes on parts to be manufactured

• Discuss drawing requirements, tolerances, and GD&T with vendors and requesting engineers to optimize pricing, manufacturability, and delivery

• Present manufacturing options back to engineers (e.g., in daily standups) for feedback and decisions

• Handle full tactical procurement flow: purchase order coordination, expediting deliveries, tracking supplier adherence to schedules, troubleshooting payment delays, coordinating receipt of parts

• Strategic elements: supplier selection, onboarding, contract setup, building/maintaining a network of partners to enable scaling

• Perform vendor/system audits to ensure compliance and supply security

Qualifications:

• Minimum 2 years of experience in a similar role.

• Ability to read and understand engineering drawings.

• Highly organized with excellent communication skills.

• Strong team player.

• Experience working with and purchasing from vendors.

• Initiative to improve processes.

• Proficient in using various computer business applications (Google Sheets, Docs, Slides, etc.).

Bonus Qualifications (nice to haves but not necessary):

• Familiarity with JIRA, Confluence, Smartsheet.

• Experience with SAP, Ariba, or other purchasing applications.

• PMP or other project management coursework.

• Hands-on manufacturing experience (Sheet Metal forming, welding, machining, additive manufacturing, carbon manufacturing).

• Understanding of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T).

As part of our promise to talent, Kelly supports those who work with us through a variety of benefits, perks, and work-related resources. Please note: The following benefits reflect Kelly's general offerings. Eligibility may vary by assignment, location, and job type. Kelly offers eligible employees voluntary benefit plans including medical, dental, vision, telemedicine, term life, whole life, accident insurance, critical illness, a legal plan, and short-term disability. As a Kelly employee, you will have access to a retirement savings plan, service bonus and holiday pay plans (earn up to eight paid holidays per benefit year), and a transit spending account. In addition, employees are entitled to earn paid sick leave under the applicable state or local plan. Click here (https://www.mykelly.com/help-support-working-with-kelly-us/#Benefits) for more information on benefits and perks that may be available to you as a member of the Kelly Talent Community.

Why Kelly ® Engineering?

Your engineering skills are in demand, but how do you find the right fit? Easy. At Kelly Engineering, our team creates expert talent solutions to solve the world’s most critical challenges. We connect you with leading organizations where you can collaborate on innovative projects, work with cutting-edge technologies and accelerate your growth. Whether you prefer the variety and flexibility of short-term projects or are looking for a long-term opportunity, we’re here to guide you to the next step in your engineering career.

About Kelly

Work changes everything. And at Kelly, we’re obsessed with where it can take you. To us, it’s about more than simply accepting your next job opportunity. It’s the fuel that powers every next step of your life. It’s the ripple effect that changes and improves everything for your family, your community, and the world. Which is why, here at Kelly, we are dedicated to providing you with limitless opportunities to enrich your life—just ask the 300,000 people we employ each year.

Kelly is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified employees and applicants regardless of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and we take affirmative action to recruit, employ, and advance qualified individuals with disabilities and protected veterans in the workforce. Requests for accommodation related to our application process can be directed to the Kelly Human Resource Knowledge Center. Kelly complies with the requirements of California’s state and local Fair Chance laws. A conviction does not automatically bar individuals from employment. Kelly participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.

Kelly may use AI-powered tools during the recruitment and hiring process. For full details, including how Kelly uses AI, your rights, and how to request a reasonable accommodation, visit the Recruitment Artificial Intelligence Notice (https://www.kellyservices.com/hubfs/myKelly/Resources/Employment\_Policies/Recruitment-Artificial-Intelligence-Notice.pdf?hsLang=en) .

Kelly Services is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We welcome, value, and embrace diversity at all levels and are committed to building a team that is inclusive of a variety of backgrounds, communities, perspectives, and abilities. At Kelly, we believe that the more inclusive we are, the better services we can provide. Requests for accommodation related to our application process can be directed to Kelly’s Human Resource Knowledge Center. Kelly complies with the requirements of California’s state and local Fair Chance laws. A conviction does not automatically bar individuals from employment.