NPI Buyer/Planner
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Nov 1, 2026. First seen by Alion on Oct 26, 2026. Figure AI scores A on the Alion truth index.
Figure is an AI robotics company developing autonomous general-purpose humanoid robots. The goal of the company is to ship humanoid robots with human level intelligence. Its robots are engineered to perform a variety of tasks in the home and commercial markets. Figure is headquartered in San Jose, CA.
As the NPI Buyer/Planner, you own material readiness for new product introduction PCBAs and components. From early prototypes through mass production, EVT/DVT, as well as the handoff to mass production stakeholders. You sit between Engineering and the Supply Chain teams, converting and assessing immature BOMs and shifting build schedules into placed POs, committed dates, and kitted builds that land on time.
This role is equal parts tactical buying, prototype planning, and cross-functional firefighting. You will work daily with Design Engineering, NPI, Manufacturing, Global Supply Chain, Quality, and Logistics teams to ensure pilot builds are clear-to-build in an environment where the design changes rapidly without notice.
Responsibilities:
- NPI Material Planning
Convert engineering build plans and prototype schedules into time-phased material requirements for EVT/DVT/PVT and pilot builds.
Plan against incomplete and rapidly changing BOMs; run BOM scrubs with Engineering to close gaps on part numbers, revisions, quantities, and reference designators before they become shortages.
Identify long-lead and single-source parts early and drive risk-buy or bridge-buy decisions with Global Supply Managers.
Build and maintain the NPI shortage list; publish clear-to-build status and recovery dates for each build event.
Plan for build-specific overages using historical program data including attrition, engineering consumption, test consumption, and reliability samples.
Tactical Purchasing
Own the RFQ-to-PO cycle for prototype and pilot material: request quotes, place POs, confirm acknowledgments, and track ETAs to dock.
Expedite and de-expedite based on schedule movement; escalate supplier commit risk with clear impact statements.
Manage buys against unreleased or non-standard parts, including drop-in samples, distributor spot buys, and broker sourcing when authorized.
Reconcile pricing, MOQs, NRE, and tooling charges; flag cost drivers ahead of production quoting.
Change and Configuration Management
Own material disposition for NPI Program(s) ECOs and deviations: scrap, rework, use-as-is, or run-out.
Maintain accurate item master for BOMs, CTB/planning trackers, and lead times as well as cost in defined tools for transition into ERP as parts mature from prototype to production status.
Build Execution Support
Partner with GSMs on consignment materials required for each build.
Maintain inventory accuracy for NPI stock at quick turn suppliers, including reconciliation of Figure-consigned material.
Transition to Production
Hand off part-level history, supplier commitments, lead times, and planning parameters to the production planning team at ramp.
Feed EAU forecasts and demand signals to Global Supply Management to support supplier capacity and long-term agreements.
Process Improvement
Identify recurring failure points in the NPI material flow and implement fixes to reporting, planning, and cross-functional handoffs.
Improve the fidelity of build-readiness reporting so risks are mitigated early.
Requirements:
Education
Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, or a related field or applicable industry experience for the role.
Experience
3-5 years in buying, planning, or materials management, with at least 2 years supporting NPI or prototype builds.
Background in complex electromechanical hardware - robotics, aerospace, medical devices, automotive, or consumer electronics.
Direct experience buying against immature BOMs and managing engineering change in a live build.
Technical Skills
Proficiency with ERP/MRP systems (SAP, Oracle, or NetSuite) and PLM tools (Arena, Enovia, etc)
Advanced Excel (XLOOKUP, pivot tables, shortage and coverage modeling); SQL or BI tooling a plus.
Working fluency in reading BOMs; comfortable discussing tolerances, finishes, and component specs with engineers.
Core Competencies
High urgency and strong follow-through: you have the ability close loops without being asked twice.
Comfort operating with incomplete information and changing priorities.
Clear, direct communication with engineers and suppliers alike; able to translate a slipped ETA into schedule impact leadership can act on.
Strong attention to detail on revisions, dates, and quantities - this is a role where a single missed line item stops a build.
The US base salary range for this full-time position is $120,000 to $180,000 per year.
The pay offered for this position may vary based on several individual factors, including job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package may also include additional components/benefits depending on the specific role. This information will be shared if an employment offer is extended.