Supply Chain Specialist

Own procurement, supplier quality, and sourcing strategy for a company building autonomous aircraft that fly where nothing else can. We need a supply chain specialist who's just as bold.

Krateo Sky

Intelligence without reach is just data. KrateoSky, an AI-native aerial robotics company, bridges that gap, extending the reach of AI into the physical world through multiple portfolio companies. The first assignment will be with Black Swift Technologies, a Boulder-based UAS company of roughly 15-25 people that is transitioning from an R&D shop into a production supplier.

What You Will Do

As Supply Chain Specialist, you will be the procurement and supply chain engine behind BST's hardware operations, splitting your time between Black Swift Technologies and the broader Krateo Sky ecosystem. You will own the day-to-day flow of materials, from issuing purchase orders to qualifying new suppliers, while working closely with engineering, manufacturing, and quality to keep production on schedule. This role sits at the center of BST's transition into a production supplier of autonomous aircraft, directly shaping whether aircraft ship on time, whether sourcing meets compliance requirements, and how quickly the company can qualify second sources for critical components.

Responsibilities:

• Execute and manage purchase orders (POs) for mechanical parts, electronic components, PCBs, and custom assemblies; track orders from placement to delivery and proactively expedite parts to prevent production delays.


• Manage daily vendor communications regarding pricing, lead times, and delivery schedules, and maintain accurate, up-to-date records of this data.


• Monitor and manage inventory levels to balance production demands with working capital targets.


• Coordinate inbound logistics and resolve shipping, customs, or receiving discrepancies.


• Evaluate potential and active suppliers based on cost, capacity, reliability, and technological capabilities; conduct supplier scorecards and performance reviews.


• Identify and qualify additional sources for critical components to build a resilient, multi-sourced supply chain, including supporting new product introduction (NPI) as products move from R&D into full-scale production.


• Collaborate with Quality and Engineering to ensure incoming materials meet aerospace and robotics specifications; manage NCMRs and drive CAPAs with suppliers to resolve issues at the root cause.


• Serve as the primary liaison between external suppliers and internal cross-functional teams (R&D, Hardware Engineering, Production, and Finance).


• Ensure supply chain decisions and suppliers support company and customer compliance requirements (e.g., NDAA, Blue UAS).


• Identify opportunities for process improvement, cost reduction, and efficiency gains across the procurement cycle.

Who You Are

You're a strategic sourcer, not just an order-taker. You've spent 3+ years in hardware manufacturing procurement and know your way around a BOM, a supplier scorecard, and an NCMR. You thrive on ownership. Given the room to build supply chain processes your way, you'll create the structure this fast-growing team needs rather than wait for someone to hand you a playbook. You move easily between tactical firefighting, like expediting a late part, and strategic thinking, like qualifying a second source.

Required Qualifications:

• 3+ years of experience in procurement, purchasing, or supply chain roles within a hardware manufacturing environment (aerospace, robotics, or electronics strongly preferred).


• Hands-on experience placing and managing purchase orders for electronic components, PCBs and PCB assemblies, machined and fabricated parts, and custom assemblies.


• Ability to read and interpret engineering documentation, including bills of materials, drawings, and specifications, well enough to communicate requirements clearly to vendors.


• Familiarity with incoming quality processes such as receiving inspection, non-conforming material reports (NCMRs), and corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs), including counterfeit part avoidance and component traceability practices common to aerospace supply chains.


• Strong negotiation and vendor communication skills, with the follow-through to expedite critical parts under schedule pressure.


• Organized and self-directed, comfortable owning the full procurement cycle on a small team.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with NDAA compliant sourcing, Blue UAS requirements, export controlled (ITAR/EAR) hardware handling, or broader defense and government supply chain compliance.


• Experience with international logistics, customs clearance, and HTS classification.


• Experience in low-volume, high-mix manufacturing environments where flexibility matters as much as unit cost.

Benefits

• Salary range of $80 - $120k


• Comprehensive medical coverage with multiple plan options


• Dental and vision coverage


• HSA and FSA options, with employer HSA contributions available


• Company-paid Long-Term Disability, voluntary Short-Term Disability, and Life/AD&D insurance


• 24/7 Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for counseling, legal, financial, and wellness support


• Fertility and family-forming support through Carrot


• Pre-tax commuter benefits for transit and parking


• Additional voluntary benefits available (pet insurance, legal services, and more)