--- title: 'Staff Commodity Manager at Element Biosciences' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/staff-commodity-manager-element-biosciences-san-diego-2qejxwzan0e2' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-07' --- # Staff Commodity Manager at Element Biosciences - **Company:** Element Biosciences - **Location:** San Diego, CA - **Posted:** 2026-08-31 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-07 - **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/elementbiosciences/jobs/6172687004 ## Job description At Element Biosciences, we are passionate about our mission to develop high performing products to study genomics with unprecedented flexibility and quality that enable researchers to better understand biology for the improvement of global health. We have built a highly efficient product-driven organization where employees can learn, grow, and thrive in a challenging but encouraging environment. We are committed to scientific integrity, collegiality, honesty, objectivity, and openness. We are seeking an experienced Staff Commodity Manager, Strategic Sourcing, to develop and execute strategic sourcing roadmaps for critical commodities spanning life sciences mechanical assemblies, electronics, and specialized materials. This role combines deep commodity expertise with strategic execution across the full product lifecycle—from development through commercialization. You will lead supplier selection, qualification, and development initiatives; conduct advanced cost modeling and COGS optimization; manage complex supplier relationships and negotiations; and ensure supply continuity while driving quality and innovation. This individual will collaborate closely with R&D, Process Engineering, Quality, Operations, and Manufacturing to align sourcing strategies with technical and business objectives. The ideal candidate brings demonstrated expertise in commodity management, supplier development, contract negotiations, and supply chain risk management, with the ability to operate both strategically and tactically. This is an excellent role for a strategic sourcing professional seeking to expand their scope and impact beyond individual commodities toward enterprise-level supply chain challenges. This role will report to our Director, Strategic Sourcing and is a daily on-site role at our San Diego headquarters. If you possess the following and want to make a meaningful impact, we invite you to explore this role. Essential Functions and Responsibilities: - Develop and execute multi-year strategic sourcing roadmaps for assigned commodity families, defining sourcing strategies that align with product development timelines, technology roadmaps, and COGS targets - Define and implement sourcing governance frameworks for New Product Introduction (NPI) and sustaining programs, ensuring clear decision rights, stakeholder alignment, and risk management processes - Lead supplier selection, qualification, and onboarding activities for direct materials, contract manufacturing partners, and technical services across the product lifecycle - Influence design-for-cost (DFC) and design-for-manufacturability (DFM) early in the R&D cycle; collaborate with Engineering and R&D to drive make-vs-buy decisions and multi-sourcing strategies - Evaluate suppliers for technical capability, manufacturability, cost efficiency, and readiness across NPI phases; act as primary technical liaison between internal stakeholders and supplier engineering teams - Conduct detailed cost breakdowns and total-landed-cost (TLC) modeling using should-cost analysis; drive COGS optimization and cost avoidance initiatives across commodity families - Develop and maintain supplier scorecards; lead Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) and corrective action planning; track and report on sourcing KPIs (cost, quality, delivery, supply chain resilience) to leadership - Strengthen supply chain resilience and continuity by qualifying alternate sources, implementing diversification strategies, and managing geopolitical and tariff-related risks - Lead contract negotiations on pricing, payment terms, risk-sharing, flexibility clauses, and supply continuity commitments; draft sourcing governance documents - Interpret and leverage technical documentation including engineering drawings, CAD models, and specifications to ensure supplier understanding of requirements, manufacturability, and cost accuracy - Partner with Quality and Regulatory to ensure supplier compliance with industry standards (ISO 13485, RoHS, REACH, GMP); support supplier quality audits and certification processes - Represent Strategic Sourcing in cross-functional forums including product roadmap syncs, design reviews, operations planning, and business reviews with executive leadership - Maintain accurate sourcing documentation, Bill of Materials (BOM) alignment, supplier records, and master data to ensure data integrity and compliance - Deliver clear, data-driven presentations and updates to stakeholders on sourcing strategy, supplier performance, cost initiatives, and risk mitigation efforts - Thrive in a fast-paced, high-growth environment with shifting priorities, rapidly evolving technical requirements, and a diverse portfolio of concurrent projects Education and Experience: - Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Materials Science, or a related technical field - 15+ years of progressive experience in strategic sourcing, procurement engineering, supplier quality, or associated supply chain roles, with experience in regulated industries - Demonstrated expertise in commodity management and strategic sourcing across diverse materials and components (mechanical high complexity assemblies, electronics, hardware) - Extensive experience negotiating complex commercial contracts, managing technical supplier relationships, and driving supplier performance improvements - Ability to interpret engineering drawings, CAD models, technical specifications, and design documentation across mechanical and electrical systems preferred - Deep expertise in cost modeling, should-cost analysis, total-landed-cost (TLC) calculation, and COGS management across product lifecycles - Proven ability to lead strategic sourcing initiatives, supplier development programs, and supply chain transformation projects - Proficiency with ERP systems (NetSuite, SAP, Oracle) and advanced analytical tools (Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, data visualization platforms) - Demonstrated ability to influence cross-functional teams and senior leadership on sourcing strategy, technical decisions, and risk management - Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills with ability to challenge assumptions and provide objective, data-driven recommendations - Self-directed, analytically rigorous problem-solver with high initiative and proactivity in driving continuous improvement and operational excellence Physical Requirements: - Frequently moves boxes weighing up to 20 pounds Location: - San Diego, CA (onsite daily) Travel: - Domestic travel up to 10% - supplier visits Job Type: - Full-time/Exempt Base Compensation Pay Range: - $119,000 – $156,000 In addition to base compensation noted above, you will be eligible for stock options, discretionary annual bonus, no cost health insurance plans, 401k with company match, and flexible paid time off. Please note: Base compensation will depend on multiple factors, including geographic location, qualifications, and experience. We foster an environment such that all people are afforded the freedom to pursue their passions without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, gender (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, veteran status or any other characteristics protected by law. ## About Element Biosciences ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Element Biosciences develops affordable, high-quality DNA sequencing and multiomics platforms to democratize access to advanced biological analysis. - **Entity Type**: Private (Series E) - **Headquarters**: San Diego, California, USA - **Founded**: 2017 - **Founders**: Three scientists (names not publicly listed in detail, but described as industry veterans) ## Core Business - Primary industry/industries: Genomics, Biotechnology, Life Sciences, Multiomics - Target customers: Research laboratories (academic, government, and biopharma), clinical researchers, and diagnostic developers (B2B, primarily research and clinical segments) - Mission or purpose statement: “To empower the scientific community with more freedom and flexibility to accelerate our collective impact on humanity, and open the world of biology to new possibilities.” [elementbiosciences.com/about](https://www.elementbiosciences.com/about) ## Products & Services - **[AVITI™ System]**: A benchtop DNA sequencing system that delivers high-quality, affordable sequencing (the company announced a $200 genome). Uses proprietary Avidity™ chemistry. - **[AVITI24™]**: A 5D multiomics system launched in April 2024 that provides subcellular spatial co-detection of RNA, protein, and morphology on a single integrated platform, with no library prep required. Powered by ABC Sequencing. - **[VITARI™]**: A new platform/product line announced for scaling without the premium price (details emerging). - **Reagent & Consumables**: Proprietary reagents with a price guarantee for the lifetime of the AVITI system. - **Loop Genomics Acquisition**: Integrated long-read sequencing capabilities via the 2022 acquisition of Loop Genomics. ## Market Standing - **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed (private company). Total known funding exceeds $553M across multiple rounds. - **Key Metric (Total Funding)**: $277M in Series D (led by Wellington Management), $276M in Series C, plus Series A & B from Foresite Capital and Venrock. An upsized Series E was announced in 2026 to accelerate global growth. [elementbiosciences.com/about](https://www.elementbiosciences.com/about) - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Wellington Management, Foresite Capital, Venrock. Global distribution partners signed in 2023. Nearly 30 unique patents. - **Growth Signals**: - Customer base spanning 40+ countries. - Technology used in 400+ publications. - Achieved ISO 13485 certification (June 2026), establishing a quality foundation for diagnostic applications. - Opened new headquarters at the Alexandria Tech Center in San Diego. - Upsized Series E financing in 2026 to expand genomic, multiomic, and clinical research solutions. ## Competitive Advantages - **Cost Disruption**: The company’s core differentiator is making high-quality sequencing affordable (e.g., the $200 genome) and accessible to labs of all sizes, challenging incumbents like Illumina. - **Integrated Multiomics**: The AVITI24 platform is a first-of-its-kind 5D system that combines sequencing with spatial protein and RNA detection in a single workflow, eliminating the need for library prep. - **Reagent Price Guarantee**: A lifetime reagent price guarantee on the AVITI system provides cost predictability for customers. - **Founding Team & IP**: Founded by industry veterans with deep domain expertise, supported by a strong patent portfolio (30 patents). ## Strategic Focus - **Global Commercial Expansion**: Scaling sales and support infrastructure across 40+ countries, with specific focus on APJ and EMEA regions (as seen in job postings for Field Applications Scientists and Territory Managers in those regions). - **Clinical & Diagnostic Entry**: Leveraging ISO 13485 certification to move into regulated diagnostic applications. - **Ecosystem Expansion**: Building out the AVITI24 multiomics platform and the VITARI scaling platform to capture a broader share of the multiomics and clinical research markets. - **Talent Acquisition**: Actively hiring across R&D, Commercial, Operations, and Quality functions to support rapid growth. ## Why Work Here - **Culture & Values**: The company emphasizes five core values: “We Disrupt the Norm,” “We Lead with Respect,” “We Overcome Challenges with Grit,” “We Own Our Success and Failures,” and “We Embrace Authenticity.” They describe a culture of accountability, transparency, and collaboration. - **Compensation & Benefits**: - 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage. - Premier mental health care (Spring Health partnership). - $10,000 fertility benefit. - Paid parental leave. - 401(k) match and stock options. - Paid flexible time off (FTO) for both exempt and non-exempt employees. - Free access to local Alexandria EXOS gyms. - Pet insurance and identity theft protection. - **Work Model**: Roles range from onsite (San Diego HQ) to fully remote (APJ, Canada, France). The company has a paid, 10-week onsite summer internship program with a 4.86/5 intern satisfaction rating. - **Growth Opportunity**: Joining a fast-growing, well-funded private company at a pivotal moment of commercial scaling and product expansion, with a mission-driven focus on accelerating science. ## Sources 1. [elementbiosciences.com](https://www.elementbiosciences.com/) 2. [elementbiosciences.com/about](https://www.elementbiosciences.com/about) 3. [elementbiosciences.com/careers](https://www.elementbiosciences.com/careers) 4. [job-boards.greenhouse.io/elementbiosciences](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/elementbiosciences) 5. 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