Senior Procurement Engineer - Capital Equipment

Summary: 

We are currently seeking a highly motivated Senior Purchasing Engineer – Capital Equipment to join our team. Reporting to the Vice President of Supply Chain, this role is responsible for leading the technical and commercial sourcing of capital equipment, manufacturing systems, and engineered solutions required to support capacity expansion, technology development, and operational excellence initiatives across FuelCell Energy.

This position serves as the critical interface between Engineering, Manufacturing, Project Management, Operations, and Suppliers to ensure the successful specification, sourcing, qualification, installation, and lifecycle management of capital assets. The successful candidate will combine strong technical expertise with strategic sourcing capabilities to optimize total cost of ownership, mitigate supplier risk, and support business growth objectives.

Essential Functions/Duties and Responsibilities:

Capital Equipment Strategy & Sourcing

• Develop and execute sourcing strategies for capital equipment including manufacturing automation, robotic systems, tooling, fabrication equipment, assembly systems, material handling equipment, testing equipment, process systems, utilities infrastructure, and facility expansions.
• Lead all phases of the capital procurement process including:
• Requirements definition
• Scope development
• RFQ/RFP creation
• Supplier selection
• Commercial negotiations
• Contract execution
• Equipment commissioning support
• Collaborate with Engineering and Operations to establish technical specifications, performance requirements, acceptance criteria, and lifecycle cost analyses for capital projects.
• Drive competitive bidding processes and perform technical/commercial evaluations of supplier proposals.

Purchasing Engineering Leadership

• Evaluate equipment designs, manufacturability, reliability, maintainability, and supportability to ensure alignment with company objectives.
• Provide technical procurement expertise during new facility development, manufacturing capacity expansions, and new product introduction programs.
• Conduct supplier technical reviews, design reviews, factory acceptance tests (FAT), and site acceptance tests (SAT).
• Support make-versus-buy and outsourcing decisions through detailed technical and financial analysis.
• Ensure purchased equipment complies with applicable safety, environmental, quality, and regulatory requirements.

Supplier Development & Contract Management

• Build strategic relationships with OEMs, system integrators, automation providers, and capital equipment manufacturers.
• Lead commercial negotiations covering pricing, warranties, payment milestones, delivery schedules, installation support, spare parts, service agreements, and long-term maintenance requirements.
• Develop and manage supplier scorecards focused on quality, delivery, cost, innovation, responsiveness, and technical performance.
• Identify and qualify alternative suppliers to reduce risk and improve competitiveness.
• Manage contract administration and supplier performance throughout the project lifecycle.

Project & Program Management

• Support cross-functional capital projects from concept through commissioning and handoff.
• Monitor supplier schedules and key project milestones to ensure on-time delivery and installation.
• Drive issue resolution related to technical scope, schedule delays, commercial disputes, and equipment performance.
• Participate in project reviews and provide procurement status updates to stakeholders and executive leadership.
• Develop contingency plans and risk mitigation strategies for critical capital projects.

Cost Management & Continuous Improvement

• Develop total cost of ownership (TCO) models for capital investments including acquisition, installation, operation, maintenance, and end-of-life costs.
• Drive cost reduction initiatives through value engineering, standardization, supplier collaboration, and strategic sourcing initiatives.
• Analyze market conditions, technology trends, and supplier capabilities to support investment decisions.
• Establish and maintain metrics related to capital spending, project savings, supplier performance, and procurement effectiveness.
• Maintain capital procurement records and project documentation within ERP and project management systems.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Manufacturing Engineering, Facilities Engineering, Operations, Quality, EH&S, Finance, and Project Management teams throughout project execution.
• Support capital budgeting and expenditure approval processes.
• Provide technical procurement expertise during audits and supplier assessments.
• Perform additional duties and special projects as assigned.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Education:  Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Manufacturing, Industrial, Chemical, or related discipline) required.

• Experience: Minimum 7 years of experience in purchasing engineering, capital equipment procurement, manufacturing engineering, supplier development, or a related technical sourcing role.
• Experience sourcing and managing complex capital equipment projects in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience working in EPC, energy, industrial manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, semiconductor, or advanced technology industries preferred.

Candidate Must Have / Be:

Technical Expertise

• Strong understanding of manufacturing equipment, automation systems, robotics, tooling, process equipment, and industrial infrastructure.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, P&IDs, electrical schematics, specifications, and technical documentation.
• Experience evaluating machine design, process capability, throughput, reliability, maintainability, and safety requirements.
• Technical knowledge of fabrication, machining, welding, assembly, test systems, automation, controls, and industrial equipment.

Procurement & Commercial Skills

• Strong knowledge of strategic sourcing, contract negotiation, and supplier management processes.
• Proven success negotiating capital equipment contracts with OEMs and system integrators.
• Experience with milestone payment structures, progress billing, performance guarantees, liquidated damages, and warranty negotiations.
• Demonstrated ability to achieve measurable cost savings and improve supplier performance.

Business & Leadership Skills

• Exceptional communication, negotiation, and project management skills.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to develop business cases supporting sourcing recommendations and capital investment decisions.
• Self-starter capable of managing multiple complex capital projects simultaneously.
• Ability to influence stakeholders and lead cross-functional teams without direct authority.
• Strong organizational and problem-solving capabilities.

Systems & Certifications

• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite including Excel, Project, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Experience with ERP systems.
• Familiarity with project management tools and capital project controls.
• PMP, CPSM, CPM, Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certifications are considered a plus.

Quality & Compliance

• Working knowledge of ISO 9001 quality systems.
• Experience supporting equipment qualification, supplier audits, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Strong understanding of industrial safety requirements and equipment compliance standards.

Physical Requirements / Working Conditions

• General work is performed in both office and manufacturing environments.
• Must be able to travel between Connecticut facilities as required.
• Domestic and international travel up to 30%.
• Must be able and willing to wear required PPE in manufacturing and construction environments.

All Employees Shall:

• Comply with the EH&S Policy and applicable regulatory and company EH&S rules and requirements.
• Report to supervision conditions or practices that are either unsafe or that may adversely impact the environment, to ensure prompt resolution of potential hazards.
• Attend scheduled EH&S training program.
• Actively support the organization’s efforts to meet or exceed EH&S goals and plans.
• Recommend improved EH&S practices.
• Must maintain regular and consistent attendance.

This Job Description is to serve as a guide. It is intended to be flexible and will continue to evolve over time with business needs and demands and may be updated periodically and at the Company’s discretion. Nothing in this position description changes or is intended to change the employment at-will relationship with the Company or the terms of any collective bargaining agreement. Employment at-will means that an employee or the Company may terminate the employment relationship at any time, for any reason or no reason at all, with or without notice.