---
title: 'Preconstruction & Procurement Specialist at Lightspeed'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/preconstruction-procurement-specialist-lightspeed-northbrook-fy06mq2dhs1a'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-11-05'
---

# Preconstruction & Procurement Specialist at Lightspeed

- **Company:** Lightspeed
- **Location:** Northbrook, IL
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-11-03
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-11-05
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/lightspeed/8e90f01f-856c-4291-bb3b-5142353ae8b4

## Job description

## About LightSpeed

LightSpeed Build Technologies is revolutionizing the construction industry through AI-powered robotics. Our flagship systems—BRUTE for automated wall panel manufacturing and DEX for on-site collaborative construction—are addressing the global housing crisis by delivering unprecedented speed, precision, and affordability in homebuilding.

Lightspeed Build Technologies · Full-time · Onsite in Northbrook, IL Position Overview Customers and partners come to us for a real price, not a ballpark. As our Preconstruction & Procurement Specialist, you will turn our design team's takeoffs and initial estimates into complete bid packages, run bids with the subcontractors and suppliers behind the work we do not self-perform, and buy out each project once it is approved. You will build and manage our subcontractor and supplier network, own the final number we stand behind, and turn each project's lessons into a pricing and purchasing process the whole team can rely on. This role brings real construction experience to a team that pairs it with robotics.

## Key Responsibilities

Bid Packages & Pricing

- Build complete bid packages from plan sets, Revit takeoffs and initial estimates, with clear scope, assumptions and exclusions by trade
- Apply our robotic-construction cost model to show what a home costs to build our way versus traditionally, including the on-site work that remains
- Turn bids into customer-ready proposals, and join pricing reviews with prospects and partners as the construction cost expert
- Track estimate versus actual on every job and feed what you learn back into our cost data

Subcontractor & Supplier Network

- Build and maintain our network of subcontractors and suppliers: foundations, MEP, roofing, finishes and site work
- Solicit, level and compare bids, and recommend awards based on price, scope and reliability
- Negotiate pricing and terms, and prepare subcontract and purchase agreements for approval

Procurement & Buyout

- Buy out approved projects: lock in material pricing and lead times, and issue purchase orders
- Help set up our purchase order, receiving and vendor tracking process as we move into repeat production
- Coordinate delivery timing with our Production & Delivery Manager so materials arrive when the factory and job site need them
- Manage change orders and their cost impact with customers and subcontractors

Required Qualifications

- 5+ years in residential construction estimating, preconstruction, purchasing or bid management, working with real project costs: materials, labor and regional variation
- Experience running bid packages and working with subcontractors and suppliers
- Comfort reading plan sets and working from takeoffs; you can spot a scope gap before it becomes a change order
- Strong Excel skills and experience with estimating or takeoff tools (for example Bluebeam, RSMeans, Procore)
- Clear communicator who can explain a number to a customer and stand behind it
- Able to work on-site in Northbrook, IL and travel to job sites as needed

## Preferred Qualifications

- Degree in construction management, engineering or a related field
- Prefab, panelized or modular construction experience
- An existing Chicago-area subcontractor and supplier network
- Multi-family or affordable housing experience
- Experience setting up purchasing or PO processes at a growing company
- Familiarity with Revit or model-based takeoffs

## How We Hire

A short intro call, a practical pricing exercise from a sample plan set, then conversations with our engineering and operations leads.

## Why Join LightSpeed

- Help build the preconstruction process at a company changing how homes get built
- Work alongside robotics engineers and see your bids turn into homes built in our factory
- Real ownership of the numbers from day one
- Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits

Employment Relationship This position is at-will, meaning either you or the Company may terminate employment at any time, with or without cause or notice.

## Equal Opportunity

LightSpeed Build Technologies is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds and experiences.

## About Lightspeed

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Lightspeed uses robotics and AI to manufacture precision-engineered panels and components for residential construction, aiming to build homes faster, smarter, and more affordably.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Startup)
- **Headquarters**: Northbrook, Illinois, United States
- **Founded**: Not publicly available (likely 2023-2024 based on current operations)
- **Founders**: Biju Kulathakal (serial entrepreneur behind Redbox and Halo Investing)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Construction Technology (Contech), Robotics, AI-Powered Manufacturing
- **Target customers**: Homebuilders, real estate developers, construction firms (B2B)
- **Mission or purpose statement**: "Housing for All" — building homes smarter, faster, and more affordable with robotics and AI.

## Products & Services
- **BRUTE Robotic System**: A robotic system designed for heavy-duty construction tasks, targeting a 50% reduction in build time versus traditional methods.
- **DEX Robotic System**: A precision robotic system for detailed assembly and finishing work.
- **AI-Powered Design & Engineering**: Proprietary AI algorithms that analyze architectural drawings to automatically generate optimized construction sequences, material lists, and robotic instructions.
- **Precision-Engineered Panels**: Prefabricated wall and floor panels manufactured to tight tolerances, enabling faster on-site assembly and reduced errors.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Not publicly available (likely pre-revenue or early-stage; funding status unknown)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Founder Biju Kulathakal previously founded Redbox and Halo Investing, suggesting strong investor connections, but no specific investors are named for Lightspeed.
- **Growth Signals**: The company is actively hiring (careers page on Ashby), signaling growth. They claim to target 70% reduction in construction errors, 20-30% labor cost savings, and 25% reduction in material waste.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Robotic Precision**: Claims tolerances "impossible with manual framing" — a significant differentiator in an industry where quality varies widely.
- **Founder Credibility**: Biju Kulathakal has a proven track record building Redbox (a massive kiosk network) and Halo Investing (a fintech platform), suggesting ability to scale.
- **Integrated AI-to-Robotics Pipeline**: Full vertical integration from architectural drawing analysis to robotic manufacturing, reducing human error and rework.
- **Sustainability Angle**: Precision manufacturing reduces construction waste by ~25%, aligning with ESG trends in real estate.

## Strategic Focus
- **Offsite Construction**: The company is riding the McKinsey-predicted trend that 20% of homes will be built offsite in the US by 2030.
- **Speed & Labor Reduction**: Core value prop is cutting build time in half and reducing labor dependency — critical as construction labor shortages worsen.
- **Scaling Manufacturing**: Likely focused on expanding production capacity at their Northbrook facility and proving the technology with initial clients.

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-Driven**: "Housing for All" offers a tangible social impact — helping solve the housing affordability crisis through technology.
- **Founder Led**: Working directly with a serial entrepreneur who has scaled companies to national prominence.
- **Cutting-Edge Tech**: Hands-on work with robotics, computer vision, AI, and advanced manufacturing — appealing for engineers and operators.
- **Early-Stage Impact**: As a likely early-stage company, employees can wear multiple hats and shape the product and culture from the ground up.
- **Location**: Northbrook, IL (northern suburb of Chicago) offers a suburban office environment with access to Chicago's talent pool.
- **Work Policy**: Not explicitly stated, but the nature of robotics manufacturing suggests a strong on-site presence for hardware roles.

**Note**: There is a separate, publicly traded company called Lightspeed Commerce (NYSE: LSPD, TSX: LSPD) that provides POS and e-commerce software. This profile is for Lightspeed (lightspeed.build), the robotics construction startup. Do not confuse the two.

## Sources
1. [lightspeed.build](https://lightspeed.build/)
2. [lightspeed.build/about-us](https://lightspeed.build/about-us)
3. [lightspeed.build/contact-us](https://lightspeed.build/contact-us)
4. [jobs.ashbyhq.com/lightspeed](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/lightspeed)

## Other roles at Lightspeed

- [Production & Delivery Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/production-delivery-manager-lightspeed-northbrook-rfwv1dqgm9an) — Northbrook, IL
- [Residential Design & Estimating Specialist](https://feeny.ai/job/residential-design-estimating-specialist-lightspeed-northbrook-mkxbm88qccyk) — Northbrook, IL
- [Senior Robot Learning Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-robot-learning-engineer-lightspeed-northbrook-n1ye2z9wvhmz) — Northbrook, IL
- [Senior Agentic Planning Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-agentic-planning-engineer-lightspeed-northbrook-m2d7m8msax70) — Northbrook, IL
- [Senior World Sensing Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-world-sensing-engineer-lightspeed-northbrook-pw92dqkdya8d) — Northbrook, IL
- [Mechanical Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/mechanical-engineer-lightspeed-northbrook-yqf4rprszy0s) — Northbrook, IL
- [Perception Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/perception-engineer-lightspeed-northbrook-eq8c65rv5zn9) — Northbrook, IL
- [Robot Learning Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/robot-learning-engineer-lightspeed-northbrook-ham4vyk6erde) — Northbrook, IL
- [Robotics Technician](https://feeny.ai/job/robotics-technician-lightspeed-northbrook-5wf4e39h7kre) — Northbrook, IL