Senior Buyer

Who we are:

We are on a mission to become a leading supplier of critical materials that enable the green energy and technology revolution. Our materials and technologies are required for the electric vehicle, green energy, consumer electronics, and defense industries, and our battery grade lithium and tech metals are needed for chipsets, semiconductors, and 5G.

We have a substantial interest in the Round Top, Heavy Rare Earth, Lithium and Critical Minerals deposit in West Texas. We have also developed the United States’ first rare earth and critical minerals processing facility and we own the only scalable, sintered neo-magnet manufacturing system in the Western Hemisphere. By developing this fully integrated, US-based “mine-to-magnet” critical mineral supply chain, we are poised to become the leading domestic supplier to these industries.

What you can expect:

At USA Rare Earth, we are pioneers and problem solvers, technologists and team players. Together, we:

Build Solutions: If our task was a simple one, it would already be done. We are creative and solution-oriented, and we think outside the box to solve important problems. We know that a range of expertise and technologies is needed for success, and we work across sectors and alongside customers to deliver world-class solutions in sustainable ways.

Deliver Quality: When we do things, we do them well. We believe that top-tier quality leads to industry competitiveness and we hold ourselves to the highest quality standards. We move fast when executing, but safety, quality, and excellence always come first.

Lead responsibly: We have a responsibility to the planet, our consumers, our country, and each other. We put safety at the center of all we do, take accountability for our actions, incorporate sustainable practices in our processes and act with the financial best interest of our investors and consumers in mind.

Win Together: Establishing a rare earth magnet supply chain is a big undertaking – and getting there is a team effort. We communicate openly, work together and challenge each other in pursuit of our goals. With every step we take we learn and get better.

USA Rare Earth is seeking a highly skilled Senior Buyer / Lead Buyer to support and scale company-wide procurement operations during a period of rapid growth. This role serves as a hands-on senior contributor while also acting as a team lead, providing daily guidance, prioritization, and mentorship to Procurement Team.

The Senior Buyer will manage complex sourcing initiatives, lead procurement activities, and serve as the first-level escalation point for procurement execution issues. This role is designed to develop into a Procurement Manager position based on performance and business need.

Key Responsibilities:

- Lead end-to-end procurement activities for inventory, spare parts, maintenance, construction, time-critical, and high-value purchases, including RFQ/RFPs, negotiations, PO issuance, expediting, and delivery coordination.

- Support sourcing and procurement of direct materials, indirect spend, services, projects, and cap-ex related purchases, as needed.

- Drive best-value procurement decisions with consideration of total cost of ownership and business needs.

- Partner with engineering, maintenance, operations, finance, and project teams to align procurement execution with business requirements.

- Serve as day-to-day lead for procurement team, providing task prioritization, guidance, and escalation support.

- Support development and enforcement of procurement policies, SOPs, and documentation standards.

- Identify and qualify new suppliers; negotiate pricing, lead times, and terms.

- Build long-term strategic relationships with key suppliers and OEMs.

- Communicate procurement status, risks, and constraints clearly and proactively.

- Maintain accurate purchasing records, supplier master data, and documentation for audit-readiness.

- Assist with system implementations and support development of procurement KPIs and dashboards.

- Identify opportunities for process improvement, workload optimization, and efficiency gains.

Qualifications:

- 6-10+ years of progressive procurement or supply chain experience.

- Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Logistics, Supply Chain Management, or related field strongly preferred.

- Demonstrated experience leading complex sourcing and negotiations.

- Strong understanding of procurement lifecycle, supplier management, and purchasing system with preference in a manufacturing environment.

- Exposure to inventory management, MRO, Capex sourcing and/or industrial equipment procurement.

- Proven ability to operate effectively in fast-paced, high-growth environments.

- Advanced organizational, prioritization, and problem-solving skills.

- Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration abilities.

- Ability to work on Central time.

- Comfortable working in a fast-paced, dynamic manufacturing environment.

- Experience supporting SOP development, audit readiness, and SOX compliance.

- Solid understanding of Incoterms & tariff implications.

- Demonstrated interest in people leadership and team development.

- Ability to travel up to 25% on an as needed basis.

Physical Demands

The work environment will be a mix of a typical office environment, a manufacturing floor and a construction site. Noise level: Normal office, manufacturing and construction noises.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, skills required of personnel so classified. The reporting relationship may not reflect the most recent changes to the corporate reporting structure.

USA Rare Earth proudly supports Equal Employment Opportunities

USA Rare Earth's policy is to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and will provide reasonable accommodations according to applicable federal, state, and/or local laws.

For assistance applying for employment through this site due to disability, please contact Human Resources, hr@usare.com, to discuss reasonable accommodations.