Sourcing Engineer

About the Company

We are a renewable energy and ocean technology company committed to rapidly developing and deploying technologies that will ensure a sustainable future for Earth by unlocking the vast energy potential of its oceans. Our focus is on capturing civilizational levels of ultra-low-cost renewable energy for applications including computing and affordable renewable fuels delivered to shore.

The company is a public benefit corporation headquartered in Portland, Oregon, and backed by leading venture capitalists, philanthropic investors, university endowments, and private investment offices. We operate as an idea meritocracy in which the best ideas change the company’s direction on a regular basis. 

Our staff have worked at organizations such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, Boeing, Tesla, Apple, Virgin Orbit, Astra, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, New Relic, Bridgewater, Raytheon, Disney Imagineering, and the US Army and Air Force, as well as research universities, startups, and small companies across a range of industries.

About the Job

As a sourcing engineer on the supply chain team, you will own the critical bridge between early  Node designs and external manufacturing reality at third party vendors. As Panthalassa scales, you will lead the transition of components from low-volume production to high-volume production suppliers for your assigned categories. 

You will intercept new designs while they are still on the drawing board. You will evaluate complex parts, audit the technical capabilities of heavy industrial suppliers, and determine the optimal sourcing strategy based on safety-critical requirements, cost, and machine capacities. This role requires an engineer's technical mindset paired with a supply chain strategist's foresight to build a resilient, high-capability supplier ecosystem. 

Candidates should have strong interpersonal skills and be able to thrive in a creative, scrappy, and collaborative environment in which the best ideas change the company’s direction on a regular basis. You will own your designs cradle-to-grave, from first concept through fabrication and deployment at sea. If you are an excellent engineer, regardless of your background, we want you to apply.

Key Responsibilities

• Technical Sourcing & Evaluation: Analyze new engineering designs, CAD models, and blueprints at early stages to determine appropriate manufacturing sources based on part complexity, material requirements, and vendor technical capabilities.
• Design for Manufacturing (DFM): Partner closely with Node engineering to provide early feedback on feasibility, cost drivers, lead times, and structural tolerancing (GD&T) to optimize designs before sourcing. 
• Supplier Capability Auditing: Vet and onboard domestic and international fabrication, mapping their specific equipment capacities to Panthalassa’s product needs. 
• Technical Interface & Change Management: Act as the primary technical point of contact for suppliers including sharing release packages, bill of materials, and communicating change orders. 
• Supplier Relationship Management (SRM): Build long-term, high-trust partnerships with key contract manufacturers (CMs), steel fabricators, machining and casting suppliers. Ensure Statement of Work (SOW) alignment with project requirements, actively manage partner milestone completion, and drive continuous improvement in quality, cost, and lead times.

Required Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience in Technical Sourcing, Supply Chain Engineering, Global Sourcing, or Manufacturing Engineering.
• Deep blueprint & GD&T literacy: Proven ability to read and interpret complex engineering drawings, machining requirements, and geometric dimensioning and tolerancing.
• Core Manufacturing Process Expertise: Deep familiarity with the manufacturing constraints, lead times, and sourcing strategies for machining, welding, and large forgings/castings.
• Technical supplier vetting experience: Comfort auditing a vendor's shop floor capabilities (e.g., machining envelopes, weld automation, non-destructive testing/NDT limits) against a part's geometric requirements.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills 

Desired Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering or a related technical discipline.
• Experience using CAD tools to review designs, pull dimensional data, or suggest DFM modifications.
• Experience managing overseas suppliers (e.g., tracking material authenticity, international tariffs, working with time zone differences, and managing long-lead logistics).

The above qualifications are desired, not required. We encourage you to apply if you are a strong candidate with only some of the desired skills and experience listed.

Compensation and Benefits

If hired for this full-time role, you will receive:

• Cash compensation of $110,000 - $160,000.
• Equity in the company. We’re all owners and if we’re successful, this equity should be far and away the most valuable component of your compensation.
• A benefits package that helps you take care of yourself and your family, including:
  • Flexible paid time off
  • Health insurance (the company pays 100% of gold-level PPO plan for full-time employees, their partners, and dependents)
  • Dental insurance (the company pays 100% for full-time employees, their partners, and dependents)
  • Vision insurance (the company pays 100% for full-time employees, their partners, and dependents)
  • Disability insurance (the company pays 100% for a policy to provide long-term financial support if you become disabled)
  • Ability to contribute to tax-advantaged accounts, including 401(k), health FSA, and dependent care FSA
• Relocation assistance to facilitate your move to Portland (if needed).

Location

This is an on-site position. Our offices, lab, and shop are located in Portland, Oregon. This role requires travel to supplier and manufacturing locations as needed, potentially up to 35-40% of time, and may include international travel.