Product Sourcing Engineer, Warfighter Systems | Hybrid Opportunity | Fastwater Staffing

Location: Costa Mesa, United States; Bellevue, United States 📍 Location: Bellevue, WA / Costa Mesa, CA 📄 Employment Type: Contract-to-Perm 🏢 Work Arrangement: To Be Confirmed 🚀 Start Date: TBD 💰 Compensation: TBD — Based on skills and experience Important Screening Requirements Must be a U.S. citizen . Must be eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance . Must be willing to travel up to 25% as needed. Must have 5+ years of relevant experience in engineering, hardware sourcing, supplier development, procurement, or cost engineering. Must have experience with hardware products, supplier engagement, and component-level or product-level cost analysis. A bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field is preferred. About the Role We’re seeking an experienced Product Sourcing Engineer, Warfighter Systems to support hardware product development, supplier selection, and production scaling. This role combines engineering expertise with strategic sourcing, supplier development, procurement, and cost optimization. You’ll work closely with Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Program Management teams to engage suppliers early in the product development process, establish sourcing strategies, manage component procurement, and optimize total cost of ownership throughout the product lifecycle. This opportunity is ideal for engineering professionals who have transitioned into sourcing, commodity management, supplier development, procurement engineering, or cost engineering within aerospace, defense, consumer electronics, or other hardware-focused industries. What We're Looking For We’re looking for an engineering professional who understands how hardware design decisions affect component costs, supplier selection, manufacturing readiness, and production scalability. The ideal candidate combines technical knowledge of electronic or mechanical hardware with strong supplier management, sourcing, and cost-optimization capabilities. Experience supporting new product introduction (NPI), production ramp-up, and complex hardware programs will be especially valuable. Key Responsibilities Strategic Sourcing and Supplier Development Select suppliers for specific products using approved supplier lists. Partner with strategic suppliers to accelerate product development and improve manufacturing readiness. Define product concepts and requirements with suppliers early in the development process. Conduct feature trade-off analyses and develop comparison tables to support engineering and sourcing decisions. Collaborate with suppliers on joint design development through clearly defined statements of work. New Product Introduction (NPI) and Production Readiness Drive the development and consolidation of manufacturing Bills of Materials (BOMs) in collaboration with Quality and Manufacturing teams. Support production ramp-up internally and across the supplier network. Manage component procurement throughout NPI, ensuring components are available on time and meet program requirements. Manage capital expenditure (CAPEX) throughout the NPI process. Ensure required vendor component qualifications are completed before production. Complete BOM risk assessments and identify alternative sourcing options to mitigate supply risks. Cost Engineering and Optimization Lead cost engineering activities to align bottom-up cost models with product cost targets. Develop should-cost and clean-sheet cost models to evaluate component and product costs. Optimize total cost of ownership (TCO) throughout the product lifecycle. Identify cost-reduction opportunities through component commonality, supplier rationalization, and reduced product complexity. Address cost-related challenges involving tariffs, import/export expenses, and supplier price increases. Supply Chain and Process Improvement Conduct value-stream mapping to improve supply network lead times, flexibility, and efficiency. Evaluate sourcing strategies for high-mix, low-volume manufacturing environments. Work with suppliers to improve technology, manufacturing processes, and supply-chain performance. Assess sourcing risks and develop mitigation strategies to support production scalability. Program and Stakeholder Management Coordinate with Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Program Management throughout product development. Navigate contractual requirements and assess program impacts across multiple stakeholders. Develop and track budgets related to sourcing, procurement, and product development. Communicate sourcing strategies, cost assessments, risks, and program status to relevant stakeholders. Required Qualifications 5+ years of relevant professional experience in engineering, sourcing, supplier development, procurement, or cost engineering. Experience in the design and development of electronic and/or mechanical hardware products. Experience in advanced sourcing roles, such as Sourcing Engineer, Commodity Manager, Sourcing Manager, Supplier Development Engineer, Procurement Engineer, Cost Engineer, or Supply Chain Engineer. Experience engaging suppliers early in product development, before engineering requirements are fully established. Knowledge of value engineering, procurement engineering, or total cost of ownership at the component and product levels. Familiarity with high-tech product development in high-mix, low-volume manufacturing environments. Strong understanding of contracting processes and program management stages. Ability to manage complex contractual requirements and coordinate program impacts across multiple stakeholders. Excellent stakeholder management, collaboration, and communication skills. Strong financial management skills, including budget development and tracking. Willingness to travel up to 25% as required. U.S. citizenship and eligibility to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance. Preferred Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or another related technical discipline. Proven track record of implementing best practices that improve operational efficiency and support sustainable growth. Experience working across both hardware and software development lifecycles. Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or equivalent.