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Salary: USD 68,000 - 117,333 / annual
Lila Sciences is seeking a Procurement Specialist to establish and run the buying desk for their AI-driven research and development organization. Reporting to the Senior Manager of Procurement, this is a hands-on role focused on owning throughput and efficiency in the ordering process.
You will be the first dedicated buying desk at Lila, defining how it operates rather than inheriting an established process. Working closely with scientists, lab managers, and technical teams across the organization, you will own the complete requisition-to-purchase-order execution cycle: reviewing requests, clarifying requirements, placing orders, confirming details, and closing transactions.
Key responsibilities include:
- Serving as the primary procurement partner for assigned research and operating teams
- Prioritizing the daily queue based on impact rather than urgency claims
- Maintaining order accuracy through correct coding, proper approval paths, sound terms, and realistic lead times
- Growing catalog and punch-out coverage to enable routine buying as self-service
- Managing full supplier lifecycle: onboarding, offboarding, and keeping the vendor master current and compliant
- Resolving supplier issues around delivery, quality, and pricing before they escalate to requesters
- Partnering with FP&A on budget checks, project coding, and month-end accruals
Lila Sciences is building Scientific Superintelligence to solve major challenges through AI. They combine advanced AI models with proprietary instruments into an operating system for science that executes the scientific method autonomously, accelerating discovery across medicine, materials, and energy.
REQUIREMENTS:
- Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, Life Sciences, or related field, or equivalent practical experience
- Three or more years of procurement, purchasing, or procurement operations experience, ideally supporting research organizations
- Experience with major procurement platforms (Coupa, Ariba, or Jaggaer; Coupa strongly preferred)
- Hands-on supplier onboarding experience: qualification, screening, compliance documentation, vendor master management
- Proven ability to sequence an overloaded queue where most requests are marked urgent
- Accuracy under volume with strong service instinct and judgment to refuse non-compliant orders
- Ability to travel up to 10%
BONUS QUALIFICATIONS:
- Experience coordinating with demand or materials planning
- Background in biotech, pharma, diagnostics, or research-driven startups
- Familiarity with CRO and CDMO engagements and lab operations
- Experience sourcing scientific materials, equipment, and research services
- Professional certifications (CPSM, CPM, or CSCP)
