Senior Buyer Planner

BioLife Solutions is repeatedly named one of Washington’s 100 Best Companies to Work For, a list curated by Seattle Business Magazine. We welcome you to apply to join our dynamic, high-energy team. Here you will find a performance-based, family-oriented environment where authentic communication and treating colleagues with respect are required. Our employees receive a competitive benefits package, which includes a 401k matching program.

BioLife Solutions ( now part of Repligen) is a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of class-defining cell and gene therapy bioproduction tools and services. Our solutions facilitate basic and applied research and commercialization of new therapies by maintaining the health of biologic source material and finished products during manufacturing, storage, and distribution. Our solutions offer commercial companies and clinical researchers significant improvement in shelf life and post-preservation viability and function of biologic materials. Our tools portfolio includes our proprietary, serum-free and protein-free, fully defined CryoStor® freeze media and HypoThermosol® shipping and storage media, ThawSTAR® family of automated, water-free thawing products. For more information, please visit: www.biolifesolutions.com

General Summary and Purpose: 

The Senior Buyer/Planner at BioLife Solutions (now part of Repligen) is responsible for managing strategic procurement activities to ensure the cost-effective, timely, and reliable supply of critical materials and services. This role analyzes supply and demand, manages supplier relationships and performance, identifies cost-saving opportunities, and supports ERP system integration. 

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provides strategic planning for short and long-term procurement of key materials, ensuring cost efficient supply of critical materials.


• Analyze supply and demand reports to drive purchasing decisions on quantity, timing, cost and quality.


• Match receivers with invoices and confirm invoices are accurate, then provide to accounts payable.


• Purchase products and services competitively


• Handle all RMA’s with vendors (requests, follow up on replacement/credit memo, update ERP system accordingly).


• Communicate with suppliers regarding late deliveries, quality issues, or other supplier-related issues to ensure timely product deliveries.


• Provide performance feedback to suppliers by completing and communicating supplier scorecards and other operational metrics, as applicable.


• Support integration of ERP system.


• Provide commodity and supplier leadership through proactive pursuit of Low Cost Region (LCR) sourcing, formal supply agreements, Vendor-Owned-Managed-Inventory (VOMI), Supplier Rationalization/Optimization, and Supplier Risk Management activities, Develop, implement, and manage metrics to track overall success and effectiveness of savings programs performance


• Conduct business in a manner consistent with Repligen Corporate and site-level Purchasing policies and procedures including Repligen Business Conduct Guidelines.


• Provide cross-functional materials and purchasing leadership for new product introduction, engineering change and cost reduction initiatives across the global supply chain


• Provide leadership and communication to functional associates to ensure understanding and attainment of key performance


• Perform other related duties as assigned

Other Duties: 

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

 Job Requirements: 

• Associates/Bachelors degree preferred, H.S. Diploma required.


• 4 to 8 years of planning and procurement experience, preferably in in a high paced working environment


• Understanding of “Lean” manufacturing


• Life sciences or similar industry experience preferred


• AP or other ERP experience is preferred


• Strong project management and team leadership skills with the ability to develop strong support for change with all levels of internal and external organizations


• Strong organization skills with the ability to manage and prioritize multiple tasks.


• Effective interpersonal and negotiation skills


• Ability to make decisions and solve practical problems with a variety of variables in situations where standardization may be limited


• Self-driven, results oriented, and motivated to work effectively without direct supervision


• Ability to interpret technical data and a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Job Specifications: 

• Proficient Computer skills (Office Applications, ERP/MRP Systems)


• APICS or ISM certification is strongly desired. Some experience in a scientific environment or knowledge of life sciences manufacturing is a plus


• Proficiency with off-the-shelf database applications


• Some lifting may be required at times up to 50lbs

BioLife Solutions (now part of Repligen) is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applications will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status. BioLife Solutions participates in E-Verify. BioLife Solutions (now part of Repligen) provides a substance-free workplace, and all offers of employment will be contingent on opiate drug test and background check.

The US base salary range for this position at full-time is $96,900-$138,000 per year. Typically, new hires are brought in at or near the midpoint of the range to allow for future growth and advancement within the role. This range represents the full compensation range for this position, with consideration given to experience, skills, and qualifications. Our salary ranges are determined by position, level, location, and market competitive benchmarks.  Individual pay within a level is determined by work location (including geographic pay zone region), job related skills, experience, education, and training. 

The BioLife Solutions (now part of Repligen) total rewards program includes, but is not limited to medical, dental, vision, 401K with generous match, life and disability insurance as well as time off programs of Vacation and Sick time.  Additionally, we believe in our team members sharing the success of our business and therefore we may provide cash bonus or stock equity grants based on company performance and department goals as a part of our total rewards package.