Materials Manager

The role

The Materials Manager owns the flow, accuracy, and readiness of materials across Vital Lyfe operations. This person leads inventory personnel and ensures parts, assemblies, and hardware are received, stored, moved, issued, and shipped to support production, engineering, and customer delivery.

What you will do

• Oversee end-to-end materials operations for parts and hardware.
• Ensure timely and accurate movement of materials between receiving, storage, production, and shipping.
• Execute outbound shipments with required documentation, traceability, and packaging.
• Maintain visibility and status communication for critical shipments.
• Maintain accurate inventory records and system integrity.
• Ensure inventory is properly controlled including shelf-life, FIFO, and configuration compliance.
• Support picking, kitting, staging, and material fulfillment activities.
• Maintain inventory levels and storage organization.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to resolve material issues and disposition obsolete inventory.
• Drive continuous improvement and achievement of site operational metrics.

Required qualifications

• 2+ years of experience in materials management, inventory control, warehouse operations, or supply chain roles in a manufacturing or hardware environment.
• 2+ years of experience leading teams or supervising materials/warehouse personnel.
• Working knowledge of inventory accuracy practices, traceability, and material flow in production environments.
• Experience operating within ERP/MRP systems and maintaining high data integrity.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage priorities.
• Proven ability to drive process improvements and resolve operational issues cross-functionally.
• Ability to work on-site in a fast-paced hardware environment.
• Ability to work in warehouse and production areas with routine lifting, carrying, and movement of materials.
• Ability to stand/walk for extended periods and work around active operations safely.
• Must be able to lift 50 lbs. unassisted.
• Must be able to climb ladders and be comfortable working in tight spaces.
• Must be able to move repetitively, bend or twist, and use hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls.

Nice to have

• Experience supporting regulated or high-reliability manufacturing environments
• Familiarity with quality-driven inventory controls (serialization, lot trace, shelf-life)
• Experience scaling warehouse/material systems for new product introduction and growth manufacturing
• Lean/continuous improvement background
• Forklift/material handling certification (or ability to obtain)

Benefits

• Work on high-impact problems with global relevance
• Help scale breakthrough technology in water security and climate resilience
• Early ownership in a high-growth, engineering-led startup
• Join a tight-knit, mission-driven team in a fast-paced environment
• Build long-term career equity as we grow

About the company

Vital Lyfe is on a mission to solve global water scarcity by creating innovative desalination systems.