This position is responsible for end-to-end procurement of New Product Introduction (NPI) programs, from concept and design through prototype, pilot, qualification, and release to manufacturing. The Senior NPI Buyer is a driving force in shaping the future of NPI purchasing—owning material strategy, building digital ways of working, and turning ambiguity into measurable, repeatable processes. The role blends strategic sourcing influence, program execution, and automation leadership to ensure Cognex can build faster, smarter, and more reliably.

• Own procurement for assigned NPI projects from early design through qualification and handover to mass production. 

• Engage early in product development to influence sourcing decisions, leveraging cost and lead-time analysis tools. 

• Convert costed BOMs into actionable purchasing plans (PBOM) for long-lead components and risk buys. 

• Execute purchasing strategies for prototype and pilot builds, including inventory and non-inventory POs, samples, and tooling. 

• Manage material planning and forecasting to ensure timely supply for engineering builds, qualification phases and product launch. 

• Coordinate with Contract Manufacturers (CMs) to manage build readiness, shortage reports, and delivery commitments. 

• Implement automation tools (e.g., Power Automate) to streamline PO creation, request tracking, and reporting. 

• Develop and maintain Clean-to-Build dashboards for visibility of material readiness across all build phases. 

• Collaborate cross-functionally with Engineering, Operations, and Sourcing to resolve supply issues and drive continuous improvement. 

• Capture and document lessons learned to build a knowledge repository of common issues, solutions, and process improvements. 

• Support supplier engagement for samples, tooling, and quick-turn solutions; contribute to cost analysis for new components. 

• Provide input on CM performance for Quarterly Business Reviews and support sourcing strategies for new products. 

Requirements