Thursday, November 28, 2019

Purchasing Job Titles and Descriptions

Purchasing Job Titles and DescriptionsPurchasing Job Titles and DescriptionsPurchasers buy a range of products and services for organizations, working to get the best deal on quality and price. To do so, they review sales records andinventory, research suppliers, and keep abreast of trends affecting the supply and demand of the products they need. There are many types of jobs within the broad field of purchasing. Read below for an extensive list of different purchasing job titles, as well as a descriptive list of the most common purchasing job titles. Use these lists when searching for a job in purchasing. You might also use this list to encourage your employer to change the title of your position to better fit your responsibilities. 5 Most Common Purchasing Job Titles Below is a list of some of the most common job titles from the purchasing industry, as well as a description of each Buyer A buyer purchases products and services for companies to either use or resell. To make the right purchases, they evaluate suppliers, review products for quality, and negotiate contracts. Buyers require strong analytical skillsbecause they have to analyze different options when evaluating suppliers. They also have to be able to negotiatewith suppliers to get the best deals. Buyer and purchasing agent titles are often used interchangeably.Expeditor Expeditors track inventory for a company. They make sure that goods are shipped and delivered in a timely manner, that they are packaged well, and that they are of the right quality. Expeditors can work in any industry, but many work in warehouses or manufacturing plants. Procurement Specialist Procurement is a broader term than purchasing. It refers to the wider process of evaluating and selecting vendors, setting up terms of payment, negotiating contracts, and making the actual purchases. A procurement specialist finds goods and services for a company at the best price. They analyze suppliers, negotiate contracts, and track and monitor inventory.Purchasing agent The title purchasing agent is often used interchangeably with buyer. A purchasing agent buys products and services for companies to either use or resell. To make the right purchases, they evaluate suppliers, review products for quality, and negotiate contracts. Purchasing agents need strong analytical skills because they have to analyze different options when evaluating suppliers. They also have to be able to negotiate with suppliers to get the best deals. Purchasing manager Purchasing managers have more responsibility than buyers and purchasing agents. They manage and coordinate the buying of products and services for companies. In part, this involvesoverseeing the work of buyers and purchasing agents. While they need all the same skills as purchasing agents and buyers, they typically need at least five years of experience in the industry. Some also require a masters degree. Purchasing Job Titles The following is a list of job titles for purc hasing and procurement positions, including those listed above A-D Assistant procurement managerAssociate buyerAutomotive credit buyerBuyerBuyer assistantBuyer engagement team leadBuyer-plannerCarrier procurement representativeCategory acquisition advisorCategory acquisition directorCategory acquisition leadCategory acquisition managerCategory attraction specialistCategory buyerCategory engagement advisorCategory identification managerCategory partnerCategory sourcing leadCategory sourcing managerCategory sourcing partnerChief category officerChief procurement officer Contract administratorContract managerContract and pricing analystCorporate buyerCorporate procurement leadCost engineerDeputy head of procurementDirect buyerDirect procurement specialistDirector of purchasing E-O Executive buyerExecutive category acquisitionExpeditorGlobal category selection managerGlobal procurement sourcing analystGraduate buyerHead of categoryHead of procurementHR purchasing specialistHybrid buyerI ndirect buyerInternal buyerInventory analystInventory plannerLateral buyerLateral procurement managerLead buyerLead category scoutLead sourcing consultantLeasing materials analystMerchant assistant P-Z Pricing specialistPrincipal delivery consultantPrincipal procurement specialistProcurement account specialistProcurement advisorProcurement analystProcurement assistantProcurement consultantProcurement directorProcurement leadProcurement managerProcurement marketing managerProcurement operations managerProcurement partnerProcurement specialistProject purchaserProposal pricing analystPrototype buyerPurchase post-closing auditorPurchase pre-closing auditorPurchaserPurchasing agentPurchasing consultant Purchasing clerkPurchasing expeditorPurchasing managerPurchasing supervisorRelationship managerReplenishment analystResearch officialResource consultantResourcing advisorResourcing associateResourcing directorResourcing leadResourcing managerResourcing partnerResourcing specialistSenior bu yerSenior plannerSenior purchasing agentService delivery managerSourcerSourcing advisorSourcing managerSourcing project managerSourcing specialistSpecial programs buyerStrategic buyerStrategic procurement leadStrategic sourcing manager Supplier quality engineerSupplier quality specialistSupplier relations executiveSupplier relationship managerSupply chain buyerTactical buyerTechnical buyerTechnical procurement leadVendor coordinatorVendor manage

Saturday, November 23, 2019

How to Land an Internship at YouTube

How to Land an Internship at YouTubeHow to Land an Internship at YouTubeIf youre like many young people, you spend much of your free time watching videos on YouTube, so why not launch your career there? YouTube offers internships and other career opportunities for people just starting out in the professional world. What Its Like to Work at YouTube Working at YouTube is much like working at Google, its parent company. If you dont want to wear a shirt and tie every dayand enjoy a challenge, YouTube will likely be a good fit for you. Thats because the company offers a relaxedenvironment, where employees rely on their intellect, computing resources and data to problem solve. So, which traits does YouTube seek in new employees? Strong coding skillsExcellent communication and interpersonal skillsIndividuals who are team-orientedIndividuals who are results-orientedIndividuals who adapt well to a variety of situations and challengesIndividuals who are proactive and solution orientedIndiv iduals who are willing to take ownershipIndividuals who possess an excellent work ethicIndividuals who like to have funIndividuals who are flexible and enjoy taking on new challenges The Perks of Working at YouTube YouTube is a fun place to work, where employeesget to eat delicious food for free in the companys state-of-the-art cafeteria. YouTube also allows employees to use its beautiful swimmingpool and fitness center. If thats not enough, the companyalso has gardens on site and lets workers bring their dogs to work. Employees work in teams of four to six and can visit other areas of the company using strategically placed scooters. As a work environment, its hard to beat Nailing the Application Process YouTubeseeks out applicantswho can think out of the box, work hard and enjoy a hip environment without losing focus of the companys goals and the potential for future growth.Given this, its important to highlight how you meet itsspoken and unspoken standards. The key to gett ing an interview with YouTube is to highlight all of your skills and accomplishments in your resume and cover letterrelevant to the specificposition youre applying for and the company in general. From college coursework to relevant internships, jobs or volunteer experiences, be sure to focus your resume. If you have some unique experiences such as creating a small start-up company or organizing a major entdeckung drive for your college or community, include these experiences as well, since they shine a spotlight on your leadership abilities. Interviewing at YouTube First round interviews with YouTube are often done over the phone.A successful phone interview will increase your chances of being called in for an in-person interview at a later date. Depending on the job, the on-site interview will evaluate you based on the level of your skills, includingcoding, algorithm development, design patterns, data structures, and analytical thinking skills. Interviewers will ask questions r elated to your individual areas of interest. A vital element of the interviewwill be to evaluate your ability to analyze and solve problems in real-time. As a candidate, you can expect to talk to at least four different people ranging from management to potential colleagues. Before your interview, you should also want to brush up on YouTubes history and how the company works. How the Company Started In February 2005,three former PayPal employees created a video-sharing website that we now know as YouTube. Located in San Bruno, Calif., about 12 miles south of San Francisco, YouTubeis the largest of all video websites where users can easily upload, view and share videos. Videos uploaded to YouTube can be shared through email, mobile devices, other websites, and blogs, making it a fun and exciting way to share all kinds of interests and experiences. Users can create their profile on YouTube where theysave their favorite videos, create playlists, and even subscribe to other peoples videos. One of the most fun and valuable aspects of YouTube is the ability to search for videos on any topic of interest just by using keywords.In November 2006, GoogleInc. boughtYouTube. How YouTube Makes a Profit YouTube makes its money throughadvertisementsfeatured on its homepage andthe videos on the platform. Making enough money to cover bandwidth costs and seea profit is one of the most significant challenges YouTube faces. The company continues to explore other options to boost its profit margin.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

The Future of Power Generation in a Post-Fukushima Society

The Future of Power Generation in a Post-Fukushima Society The Future of Power Generation in a Post-Fukushima Society The Future of Power Generation in a Post-Fukushima SocietyA Partnership of Rising Renewables and Promising Nuclear Technologies (2012 Arthur L. Williston Award Winning Paper Abstract) On paper, nuclear energy seems like a miracle of modern science, a futuristic way to cleanly produce large amounts of electricity. When nuclear power plants were first being built, it was estimated that by the year 2000 there would be over one thousand nuclear power plants in operation. Today, there are only 439 worldwide, with a mere 119 of those in the United States. While nuclear energy is not without drawbacks, one of the biggest reasons that growth has stopped is the public outcry against it. Nuclear technology is seen as different from other forms of energy creation as it is not well understood by most of the general public. It was conceived in secrecy, born of war, and first rev ealed to the world in horror. No matter how much proponents try to separate the peaceful atom from the weapons atom, the connection is fiercely embedded in the mind of the public.1 On top of its connotation with hugely destructive weapons, there have now been three major incidents at nuclear power plants Chernobyl, Three Mile Island, and most recently, Fukushima. Disasters of this nature are mora extreme than conventional power plants considering radiation comes into the formula. The last nuclear power plant to be built in the United States was back in 1977. There are plans to have mora built in the next decade or two, but they remain the same schrift as weve been building for 50 years. The newest trend in energy is renewables, but unterstellung are low impact and most require a large area to create even a fraction of the energy a nuclear power plant provides. The question for the future becomes if we will outgrow our dependency on coal and gas and what technologies will be implemen ted to do so. Renewable energy (or green energy) has been picking up a lot of momentum in the past decade or two, although it leise has many limitations. The three major renewables are solar, hydroelectric, and wind. Solar power has been stuck with similar technology for decades, still plagued by inefficiency and expense. Hydroelectric powers issue is that much of its potential has already been tapped out by current damming systems. This leaves wind energy as the great hope for renewable power generation. The growth of the wind industry has been exponential in the past decade, and has only gained more ground due to the current climate of concern over nuclear power. After the Fukushima disaster, Germany declared that they were shutting down all nuclear power plants and put in motion a plan heavily involving wind power. It is easy to see why wind power is so attractive, but is it enough? Considering wind energys current limitations, is it really the solution to our energy crises, and reason enough to abandon nuclear technologies? 2008 saw more growth in wind energy than the previous decade combined, with 27,051 MW added to make a totalf 120,798 MW worldwide, which is a growth of 29% in just one year.4 This growth is not slowing down either. Technology having to do with modern wind turbines is ever evolving, resulting in more efficient, larger, and higher capacity turbines. On paper, wind power seems like a no brainer. While the building of a turbine is expensive initially, after the structure is there, it has almost no cost associated with it whatsoever. With many countries such as Germany abandoning nuclear power in favor of wind power, the scientific facts of energy generated by the wind are even more important to know and understand. When electricity became something that was necessary for society, the engineers building power plants had six major criteria concerning commercial electricity generators 7 Could they provide large amounts of electricity? Could they provide reliable and predictable energy? Could they provide dispatchable electricity? Could they service one or more of the grid demand elements? Could their facility be compact? Could they provide economical electricity? When you go through this checklist with older, non-green power plants such as coal or nuclear, its clear that the answer to all six questions is yes. Back in the early 1900s, this was enough, which is why coal is still the way we produce most of our electricity. Now however, a seventh criterion has been added 7 Is it detrimental to the environment? This has become not only an addendum to the first six concerns, but in some ways has overridden the other six completely. Going through each criterion with wind power, its easy to see that a society built entirely off of wind power and wind turbines simply will not work. In fact, the only one wind power passes is the latest addition to these criteria. And even that it does not pass with f lying colors. In an independent scientific study done by the National Academy of Sciences, it was postulated that even by 2020, the U.S. CO2 savings will amount to only 1.8% thanks to wind energy. 7 It is clear that even if wind power could provide us with the type and quantity of energy the world required, it is a long way off from being lucrative or becoming the primary contributor to the power grid. So, assuming that the main reason wind power has becoming the nations fastest growing source of power purely on the fact that it is green, what kind of solution can we provide that satisfies not only the environmental concerns, but also releases zero carbon dioxide? The obvious choice seems to be a new generation of nuclear power plants. In their current form, it would appear that nuclear power plants are susceptible to failure, which is a much more dangerous than when any other form of energy fails. Radiation poisoning is a serious situation, and while two of the three disasters in t he history of nuclear energy have claimed no human lives, they may have shortened some, and that sort of effect is difficult to measure.Fortunately, there are new ideas and technologies that along with increasing the safety of nuclear power also have other benefits, such as increasing the efficiency and convenience or decreasing the costs. These designs include Small Modular Reactors, Gas-Cooled Reactors, Liquid-Metal Reactors, and Molten Salt Reactors. These innovations improve nuclear power in several ways such as making them more efficient, smaller, easier to build, and most importantly, a lot safer.My father is an avid fan of German made strategic motherboard games, and we have quite a collection of them at my home. While no game can accurately represent the complexity of the real world, one game in particular attempts to duplicate the situations discussed in this paper. The game is entitled Power Grid, and players must buy power plants and resources to power cities they build o n the board. There are five different types of plants coal, gas, nuclear, trash, and green. The first four require the player to purchase fuel in one of the stages of the game, while green plants (which have pictures of wind turbines on them) dont require any resources at all. After playing the game many times, I discovered that it was impossible to win buying just the green power plants. While it seems like the best strategy (considering you never have to waste your money on any resources), the other power plants have a cheaper initial price and can power more of your cities on the board. Conversely, completely ignoring these green power plants also rarely ends in victory. To win the game, you must have a combination of conventional power plants and green power plants. In a way, this is a simplified model of the real world. In order to power our cities, we cannot rely solely on green energy. If we truly want to get away from coal fired power plants and those that release carbon dio xides into the air, then we have to combine these renewable energies with something else that fits all six of the requirements stated above. With new, safer, and more efficient nuclear power plants being designed and built, it is my belief that the best possible scenario for the future is to combine these plants with something like wind power. Both of these have great potential, and combining the two should address all seven criteria of making a successful power grid. The Williston Award is presented annually by ASME to the student engineer or recent graduate who authors the best acceptable paper in the area of civic service. References 1 John Byrne and Steven M. Hoffman. Governing the Atom The Politics of Risk. Transaction Publishers. 1996. 2 HydroElectric Power Risks and Rewards.The Electronic Universe. Web. 17 Jan. 2012. http//zebu.uoregon.edu/1998/ph162/l14.html. 3 Hutchinson, Alex. Solar Panel Drops to $1 per Watt Is This a Milestone or the Bottom for Silicon-Based Panels? - Popular Mechanics. Popular Mechanics. Web. 17 Jan. 2012. popularmechanics.com/science/energy/solar-wind/4306443. 4 Wind Power Growth.Reliable Plant Magazine. Industrial Info Resources. Web. 20 Jan. 2012. reliableplant.com/Read/17664/wind-power-growth-in-2008-exceeded-past-decade. 5 World Wind Energy Report 2010 (PDF). Report. World Wind Energy Association, Feb. 2011. 6 Madsen Krogsgaard. Offshore Wind Power 2010. BTM Consult. 22 Nov. 2010. 7 Droz, John. Wind Power How We Got Here. 11 Aug. 2008. Web. 20 Jan. 2012. northnet.org/brvmug/WindPower/HowWeGotHere.pdf. 8 OGrady, Eileen.E.ON completes worlds largest wind farm in Texas Reuters, October 1, 2009. 9 EnerPub June 8, 2007. .Spero News. 10 Kashiwazaki-Kariwa.Power Technology. 2011. Web. 29 Jan. 2012. power-technology.com/projects/kashiwazaki/. 11 Marcus, Gail H. Nuclear Power After Fukushima.Mechanical Engineering Magazine1 Dec. 2011. Print.