Buyer/Property Administrator

The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) is hiring for a Buyer/Property Administrator. This role will perform routine purchasing functions which involve checking requisitions, obtaining quotations, and processing purchase orders for supplies, materials, equipment, and services in a timely and cost-effective manner. This role will also be responsible for property management, logistics, and purchasing support at AURA's Hawaiian locations.

Essential Functions:

• Process requisitions of basic to moderate difficulty.
• Provide assistance to requestors regarding logistics procedures, property administration requirements and procurement practices.
• Develop and maintain relationships with key suppliers and internal customers.
• Maintain Property Inventory database, including tagging of all reportable property, and perform regular physical audits of tracked property.
• Identify and process all tracked property additions, disposals and transfers, in coordination with AURA Property Administrator.
• Organize and perform property disposals.
• Submit all Federal property reports to the appropriate agency.
• Assist Tucson Logistics with arrangements for freight shipments and all foreign shipments. Obtain bids for the domestic and international transport of freight between AURA Centers.
• Recognize and arrange for proper handling, storage and shipment of hazardous materials in coordination with staff at AURA’s Hawaiian locations.
• Responsible for Safety within area of responsibility, and for reporting any unsafe condition to the appropriate Risk Management office.
• Responsible for ensuring compliance with government award terms and conditions assigned to this position or subordinates of this position as defined in the Vela Award Management System.

Other Functions:

• Other duties as assigned.
• All AURA employees are responsible for the proper management and control of all AURA property within their work area, whether assigned to them or someone else. This responsibility includes reporting any known missing, stolen, or non-working property in their work area to their supervisor or the AURA Property Officer. For detailed information on proper custodial care of government property, refer to the AURA Employee Handbook at http://hr.aura-astronomy.org/?q=handbook.
• Responsible for ensuring compliance with government award terms and conditions assigned to this position or subordinates of this position as defined in the Vela Award Management system, https://cas.aura-astronomy.org/Awards.

Required Education/Experience/Skills/Abilities:

• Associate’s degree in accounting, business, engineering, administration, or a related field. Additional experience performing professional logistics, procurement or accounting functions, and related course work, may substitute for degree requirement.
• Ability to speak and write fluently in English, and to articulate specific points of view to internal and external customers.
• Ability to perform and accomplish detailed assignments with remote supervision.
• Must be imaginative, resourceful, and patient; have sound judgment; and be able to make independent decisions.
• Ability to communicate in Spanish is preferred but not required.

Preferred Education/Experience/Skills/Abilities

• Three years’ experience in logistics or administration at the professional level.
• Knowledge of US Government agency-issued Cooperative Agreements and other pertinent government regulations to which AURA and its centers are subject

Physical Demands:

 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.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk or hear.
• The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms and stoop; kneel; crouch; or crawl.
• The employee must regularly lift and /or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
• Must possess - sufficient mobility, strength, or dexterity in both arms and hands and both legs to a) reach upward, sideways, downward to work with paper files; b) sufficient mobility and dexterity to utilize computer systems, fax machines, copiers, and other office machines.
• Must possess – 1) ability to read and understand instructions, drawings, safety guides, and other written materials necessary to perform job; 2) sufficient visual capacity to perform the applicable functions without assistance of visual aids other than eye contacts or eyeglasses; 3) sufficient spoken aural capacity to hear and understand instructions, warning bells, fire alarms, or shouted instructions without assistance of auditory aids other than a hearing aid; and 4) ability to impart information orally so that others understand and can respond appropriately.
• Some travel may be necessary in or outside the United States.

Salary : $50,000 - $65,000