Supply Chain Intern - Procurement
About Base
Base is America’s next-generation power company. We’re rebuilding the foundation of modern civilization–electricity–by deploying a vast network of distributed batteries that is transforming today’s fragile, centralized grid into a resilient and abundant system. We are engineers, operators, and creatives solving some of the most complex, interdisciplinary challenges of our time.
About the Role
Base designs its own hardware, builds it in its own factory, installs it at homes, and sells the power. That vertical integration is our advantage, and it means the suppliers we choose and the deals we strike directly shape our cost and speed.
As a GSM Intern, you will own sourcing for a set of assigned parts, run the RFQ process end to end, and negotiate cost and terms directly with suppliers.
This is not a shadowing internship. You will be given parts to source, suppliers to negotiate with, and quotes that carry real weight in our build cost. The work sits between Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, and Finance, and suits someone who thinks in systems, is comfortable acting on incomplete information, and likes building durable, repeatable sourcing processes.
What You’ll Do
Own sourcing for a set of assigned parts: build and run RFQs, compare supplier quotes on cost, lead time, and capacity, and make the call on award.
Negotiate price, payment terms, and lead time directly with suppliers, and track savings against the prior baseline.
Build supplier cost models — bottoms-up where you can — so you can tell a fair quote from a padded one.
Support qualification of new suppliers and second sources for critical components: gather quotes, samples, and capability data for the team’s decision.
Track supplier performance — cost, delivery, and quality — and flag risk before it hits the production line.
What You’ll Bring
Working toward a degree in supply chain, industrial engineering, operations, mechanical engineering, business, or another quantitative field — or on a comparable path.
Strong spreadsheet skills and comfort working with large, messy datasets. SQL, Python, or scripting is a plus.
Genuine interest in how physical products get built. Exposure to an MRP or ERP system (Odoo, SAP, NetSuite) is a plus, not a requirement.
Clear, direct written communication — you will send RFQs, quote comparisons, and escalations to suppliers and internal teams.
Bias to action and follow-through. You close loops without being asked twice.
Available to work in person in Austin, TX for the duration of the internship.
About the Team
Global Supply Management owns every part that goes into a Base battery and its associated systems. This includes sourcing, planning, and getting it to the line on time. We are ramping in-house manufacturing of our own battery product while qualifying second sources for critical components, which means the plan changes often and the cost of being wrong is a stopped line. Sourcing is where that pressure lands first: the team decides who we buy from and on what terms, and builds the leverage and systems that make those calls repeatable.
Please note: Base is a startup, which means priorities shift and evolve quickly. Your role may expand or change based on the needs of the business at any given time, so the responsibilities listed may not be exhaustive.
Our Values
First Principles Thinking: Question assumptions. Principles > rules.
Operate at Base Pace: Focus on what matters, act quickly, and learn by doing.
Give & Get Feedback: Be direct, be humble, and maintain a growth mindset.
Everyone’s an Owner: Follow through on commitments and own results.
Strong Opinions, Loosely Held: Drive clarity and make calls with imperfect information.
Committed to the Mission: Rebuilding the grid is a big challenge. We work hard because we care deeply about the impact we’re creating. We work in-person. It’s not a 9-to-5. We are all-in.
Fun & Optimism Coexist with Grit: Collaboration and celebration coincide with the intensity of building real things.