Procurement Assistant (2 years term)

Date Posted: 05/23/2025
Req ID: 43050
Faculty/Division: Faculty of Arts & Science
Department: Acceleration Consortium
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)
Position Number: 00057764

Description:

About us:

The Faculty of Arts & Science is the heart of Canada’s leading university and one of the most comprehensive and diverse academic divisions in the world. The strength of Arts & Science derives from our combined teaching and research excellence in the humanities, sciences and social sciences across 29 departments, seven colleges and 46 interdisciplinary centres, institutes and programs.

We can only realize our mission with the dedication and excellence of engaged staff and faculty. The diversity of opportunities and perspectives within the Faculty reflect the local and global landscape and the need for curiosity, innovative thinking and collaboration. At Arts & Science, we take pride in our legacy of innovation and discovery that has changed the way we think about the world.

The Acceleration Consortium (AC) at the University of Toronto (U of T) is leading a transformative shift in scientific discovery that will accelerate technology development and commercialization. The AC is a global community of academia, industry, and government that leverages the power of artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, materials sciences, and high-throughput chemistry to create self-driving laboratories (SDLs), also called materials acceleration platforms (MAPs). These autonomous labs rapidly design materials and molecules needed for a sustainable, healthy, and resilient future, with applications ranging from renewable energy and consumer electronics to drugs.

The Acceleration Consortium (AC) promotes an inclusive research environment and supports the EDI priorities of the unit.

The Acceleration Consortium received a $200M Canadian First Research Excellence Grant for seven years to develop self-driving labs for chemistry and materials, the largest ever grant to a Canadian University. This grant will provide the Acceleration Consortium with seven years of funding to execute its vision.

This is a 2 years term position with possibility of renewal.

Your opportunity:

Reporting to the Executive Director and under the guidance of the Lab Manager, you will provide support for the seven AC lab’s procurement needs. The Procurement Assistant will provide daily guidance to staff scientists and technicians regarding procurement policies and will also provide technical guidance for purchases under $50000. They will maintain centralized databases of inventory and purchases while also organizing purchasing documentation.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Reconciling purchasing card statements
• Issuing purchase requisitions
• Analyzing and evaluating quotations
• Liaising with internal and external contacts to facilitate purchasing and/or procurement processes
• Verifying that University procurement and related policies are followed
• Coordinating the shipping and/or receiving of goods
• Acting as a first point of contact for purchasing enquiries
• Identifying and introducing variations to established administration processes

Essential Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Chemistry, Computer Science and/or Science.
• Minimum three years of recent and related experience with purchasing and or procurement of scientific equipment
• Experience using scientific knowledge and technical requirements to collect and evaluate quotes for purchases of equipment and consumables suppliers and external vendors
• Experience processing and reconciling purchase card statements and debit memos
• Experience maintaining, tracking and assessing inventory data and generating reports
• Demonstrated experience coordinating negotiation processes and service contracts with suppliers and external vendors
• Experience creating new process/systems for purchasing/procurement
• Experience with databases and/or an inventory management system
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills, along with demonstrated customer service skills including diplomacy and tact
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment with strict deadlines
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and the promotion of a respectful and collegial learning and work environment
• Strong skills with MS Office, including Word, Excel, Outlook

Assets (Nonessential):

• Familiarity with University of Toronto procurement and finance administration procedures and policies
• Experience in STEM research

To be successful in this role you will be:

• Accountable
• Communicator
• Cooperative
• Meticulous
• Multi-tasker
• Organized
• Procedural

Closing Date: 06/03/2025, 11:59PM ET
Employee Group: USW 
Appointment Type: Grant - Term 
Schedule: Full-Time
Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone:  
USW Pay Band 09 -- $66,715. with an annual step progression to a maximum of $85,319. Pay scale and job class assignment is subject to determination pursuant to the Job Evaluation/Pay Equity Maintenance Protocol. 
Job Category: Administrative / Managerial

Lived Experience Statement
Candidates who are members of Indigenous, Black, racialized and 2SLGBTQ+ communities, persons with disabilities, and other equity deserving groups are encouraged to apply, and their lived experience shall be taken into consideration as applicable to the posted position.