There was a time when all of America believed that the future of the physical world could be radically different. The engineers of the mid-1900s put a man on the moon in eight years, designed and built planes and submarines from scratch in under three, and conceived of building things we wouldn’t even be able to dream up today.

Today, the last of the engineers who imagined and built these systems are retiring. As they go, we lose not only the engineering knowledge gained from their decades of imagination and trial-and-error, but also the spirit that made that imagination possible.

Amca is working day-in and day-out to restore America’s ability to engineer anything that our critical systems depend on, and reinvigorate the cycle of creation that allows imagination to shape physical reality. We rapidly develop and manufacture new critical components and subsystems required to build and sustain the planes, military vehicles, and core infrastructure America needs. By restoring the capability of our antiquated supply chains, we increase the country’s capacity to imagine and realize new systems, and make a physical world that looks very different from today.

Overview

Sourcing interns help Amca buy the parts and materials that go into every build, and make sure the factory floor is planned and stocked when builds need them. You'll follow hardware from purchase order to completion, help find and vet the suppliers behind our products, and get out to the occasional supplier shop to see how things are made.

You'll learn procurement, build planning, and supplier development by doing real work with real ownership, alongside a team that will teach you how it all fits together. No prior purchasing experience is required, and we appreciate strong operators.

Responsibilities

Procurement

• Support the full procurement cycle: source, quote, negotiate, and issue POs for hardware, raw materials, fabricated parts, and consumables
• Help manage open orders end-to-end: track deliveries, update lead times, and expedite parts that are at risk of impacting the build schedule
• Help resolve PO discrepancies with receiving, suppliers, and engineering, and own the issue through to closure
• Maintain accurate ERP/MRP data: open POs, lead times, pricing, vendor records, and part statuses
• Identify cost and lead time improvement opportunities across the supply base

Build Planning & Part Tracking

• Work from BOMs, work orders, and engineering requirements to plan material needs for active and upcoming builds
• Track parts through the full lifecycle, from PO issuance through receiving, inspection, kitting, and build completion
• Maintain visibility into build status and material readiness, and surface shortages and schedule risks early
• Coordinate with engineering, production, and receiving to keep part flow aligned with build priorities
• Support traveler and documentation accuracy to ensure traceability through the build

Supplier Development

• Help identify and onboard new suppliers across machining, injection molding, PCBAs, electronics, testing, assembly, and other processes as needed
• Help conduct supplier vetting by evaluating capabilities, quality systems, capacity, and certifications
• Join occasional supplier visits to assess shops firsthand and build relationships
• Maintain and grow a reliable, high-performance vendor base that can scale with our manufacturing operations

Basic Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in a bachelor's or graduate program in supply chain management, industrial or mechanical engineering, business, or a related field
• Strong organizational skills, with the ability to keep track of a long, constantly shifting list of orders and priorities
• Curious about how things get made, and comfortable learning to read a BOM or engineering drawing
• Direct and proactive communicator with suppliers, engineers, and technicians alike
• Thrives in a fast, ambiguous environment where the plan changes and ownership is expected

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Prior internship or work experience in purchasing, procurement, or materials planning
• Familiarity with supplier qualification processes and quality documentation (C of C, material certs, AS9100)
• Experience sourcing across a broad range of processes, such as machining, PCBAs, electronics, testing, coatings, and NDT

Additional Requirements

• This internship is on-site in El Segundo, CA
• Willing to travel occasionally for supplier visits
• To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicants must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful permanent resident, (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Hourly Pay Range$30—$50 USD

This position requires use of information which is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). All applicants must be U.S. persons within the meaning of ITAR. ITAR defines a US person as: any individual who is granted U.S. citizenship; or. any individual who is granted U.S. permanent residence ("Green Card" holder); or. any individual who is granted status as a "protected person" under 8 U.S.C 1324b(a)(3).

The Advanced Manufacturing Company of America prohibits discrimination or harassment based on the following categories: race, color, religion, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, marital status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, age (40 years and over), sexual orientation, veteran and/or military status, protected medical leaves (requesting or approved for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act or the California Family Rights Act), domestic violence victim status, political affiliation, and any other status protected by state or federal law.