Commodity Manager - Liquid Nitrogen Cooling System

In the first 3 months you'll

• Learn VEIR’s LIN cooling system architecture, current supplier base, and known lead time/capacity constraints.
• Build relationships with key cooling system suppliers, including pump, skid, and vessel fabricators.
• Support ongoing supplier development activities aimed at reducing long lead times on critical components, working toward 4–5 commercially viable candidates per critical component.
• Partner with Engineering to support internal RFI development and preliminary RFQs against early (Ph2/Ph3) BOM, drawing, and specification releases.
• Partner with Procurement on AVL status and onboarding documentation for cooling system suppliers.
• Join Engineering and Quality on at least one supplier site visit or technical/quality capability audit to build first-hand supplier knowledge.

In the first 6 months you'll

• Own the sourcing strategy and supplier base for the LIN Cooling System commodity, including pumps, skids, vessels, and related cryogenic components.
• Own development of detailed production RFQs following design release, incorporating manufacturing requirements, critical-to-quality (CTQ) specs, and PPAP/qualification requirements, in partnership with Engineering.
• Support Engineering during sample builds and DFM iteration with candidate suppliers, ensuring feedback closes into the design ahead of design lock.
• Partner with Quality to support supplier PPAP submissions (Part Submission Warrant, dimensional reports, process capability, material certifications) as part of production qualification.
• Support process validation / run-at-rate studies to confirm supplier capacity and process capability against forecast.
• Drive multi-sourcing strategy and supplier capacity development to reduce long lead times on critical components, and support second-source qualification for the highest-risk items.
• Identify, evaluate, and qualify fabricators or contract manufacturers to support cooling system components as VEIR scales.
• Lead negotiation of supplier agreements, pricing structures, and commercial terms in partnership with Procurement and Finance.
• Build supplier scorecards and support periodic business reviews as suppliers move into ramp.
• Partner with Logistics on packaging and shipping plans, including any special handling requirements for cooling system components.
• Build a multi-year sourcing roadmap for the LIN Cooling System commodity in support of VEIR’s scale-up plans.

To be successful in this role

You Bring

• 5+ years of experience in supply chain, commodity management, or strategic sourcing, ideally within a technical or cryogenics-adjacent environment.
• A technical engineering background; experience in cryogenics preferred.
• Experience setting up or managing fabricators or contract manufacturers preferred.
• Experience developing RFIs and RFQs in partnership with engineering teams, from prototype-level through production-intent sourcing.
• Familiarity with NPI stage-gate processes and PPAP (Production Part Approval Process) is strongly preferred.
• Experience negotiating supplier agreements and multi-sourcing strategies, particularly for long-lead-time components.
• Comfort conducting supplier site audits and working closely with Quality and Engineering to assess manufacturing capability.
• Experience in a hardware, hard tech, or manufacturing environment; startup or scale-up experience is a plus.
• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a related technical field preferred.
• Willingness to travel for supplier visits, audits, and qualification activities.

You Are

• Comfortable owning a technically complex commodity with long lead times and limited supplier options.
• A relationship builder who earns supplier trust while holding a firm line on cost, quality, and delivery.
• Structured and proactive — you build sourcing roadmaps rather than reacting to the next fire.
• A strong cross-functional collaborator across Product, Commercial, Engineering, and Finance.

VEIR is committed to equal pay for equal work in its compensation practices. The base salary range for this position in the U.S. is $110,000 - $140,000 per year + equity + benefits. A candidate's salary is determined by various factors including, but not limited to, relevant work experience, skills, certifications, job level, supervisory status, and location.