Buyer Trainee Jobs in Riverside, CA (NOW HIRING)

Salary : $65,117.90 - $87,936.86 Annually
Location : Riverside
Job Type: Regular
Job Number: 26-15811-03
Department: TLMA Administration
Division: Purchasing/Asset Management
Opening Date: 07/08/2026
Closing Date: 7/22/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
For questions regarding this position, please contact the Recruiter listed in the Supplemental Information section.
ABOUT THE POSITION
The County of Riverside's Transportation & Land Management Agency (TLMA) is seeking a Buyer I to support the Administration Division in Riverside.
The Buyer I will perform a variety of purchasing and administrative functions to support the department's daily procurement operations. Responsibilities include reviewing invoices against quotes, purchase orders, contracts, and amendments to ensure accuracy; identifying and resolving invoice discrepancies; responding to inquiries from staff and vendors; requesting informal bids, quotes, and Requests for Quotes (RFQs); assisting with new vendor setup; maintaining vendor and purchasing records; and performing general purchasing duties in accordance with County policies and procedures.
The ideal candidate will have experience with Requests for Proposals (RFPs), Requests for Quotes (RFQs), requisitions (REQs), purchase orders (POs), invoice processing, and ordering supplies. Competitive candidates will also possess at least one (1) year of experience using PeopleSoft Financials, two (2) years of vendor relations experience, three (3) years of experience using Microsoft Excel and Word, and three (3) years of clerical and/or administrative experience supporting business or operational functions. The successful candidate will demonstrate strong attention to detail, excellent communication and customer service skills, and the ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining accuracy, organization, and professionalism in a fast-paced environment.
Meet the Team!
The County of Riverside is the umbrella agency for seven county departments. They are the Planning Department, Building & Safety Department, Transportation Department, Code Enforcement Department, and Aviation Department.
EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL DUTIES
• Research and conduct comparisons on products, services and vendors; compare availability, quality and cost factors for departmental needs.
• Review requisitions for completeness, accuracy, cost effectiveness, and adherence to standards, codes, County policies, and procedures.
• Research, develop, and maintain vendor product information lists, which includes ongoing review of product information and current prices of commodities and services.
• Perform routine market, total life cycle cost, value, price, and limited cost analysis.
• Prepare departmental requests for proposal and/or bid; obtain bids by telephone, letter, personal contact, or formal bid procedures; compare and analyze quotations in order to determine qualified low bid.
• Determine vendors from which purchases will be made and issue purchase orders; review standing purchase orders for renewal; review departmental blanket orders to ensure low-cost emergency vendor service.
• Investigate complaints by departments and resolve delivery or other problems; may supervise support staff.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Experience: One year of satisfactory performance as a Buyer Trainee with the County of Riverside or equivalent experience to the County of Riverside Buyer Trainee classification. (Major coursework in purchasing, business administration, economics, or a related field may be substituted for up to one year of buying experience on the basis of 30 semester or 45 quarter units of education equaling one year of full-time buying experience.)
Knowledge of: The methods, principles, and practices of purchasing/material management and of governmental purchasing; County purchasing policies and practices; product standards of operating departments; products, commodities, and services used within one or more commodity groupings; methods and resources used in researching and analyzing commodities and services; competitive bid practices and procedures; business accounting practices; methods used in evaluating vendor capability and performance.
Ability to: Work independently; read and interpret rules and regulations; collect, organize, and evaluate product or service information, identify alternative solutions, and project consequences of decisions and recommendations; compose clear and concise reports, recommendations, and correspondence; compare and analyze quotations; prepare fundamental purchasing specifications (RFP's) for assigned products or services or for an assigned department; communicate in a clear and persuasive manner; establish and maintain effective relationships with department officials, company/vendor representatives, and staff members.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
For questions
regarding this recruitment:
Please contact Ebelyn Skinner at
951-955-5196 or Please allow 1-2 business days for a response to
general inquiries.
APPLICATION INFORMATION
Veteran's Preference
The County has a Veterans Preference Policy applicable to new hires. To qualify, attach the required documents to your job application. Documents include a copy of your (or your spouse's) Member-4 Form DD-214 indicating dates of service. For spousal preference, and as applicable, the following documents: a copy of your marriage certificate, spouse's death certificate, a letter of spouse's disability and/or letter of service-related death (if available) from the U.S. Veteran's Administration. For privacy reasons, it is recommended that you remove your social security information from the document(s). A Human Resources Representative will review the materials and determine if you qualify for veterans' preference. For complete details and documentation requirements, please review the Veterans Preference Policy, C-3 here:
Reasonable Accommodations
The County of Riverside is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). Qualified individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter for the position noted above. For additional information and/or to obtain the appropriate form for requesting a reasonable accommodation, please visit the Disability Access Office web page located at:
Proof of Education
If using education to qualify or when requested by the recruiter, upload a copy of any license(s), official/unofficial transcript(s), degrees, and/or related employment documents to your NeoGov account at the time of application and before the closing date. Official or unofficial transcripts will be accepted.
If your education was completed outside of the United States, you will need to provide a copy of your Foreign Education Equivalency evaluation from a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services () or Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. ().
Work Authorization Requirement
Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of application. The County of Riverside does not participate in visa sponsorship programs, including H1-B visas, and will not provide sponsorship for any employment-based visas.
Equal Opportunity Employer
The County of Riverside is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the County of Riverside to provide equal employment opportunities for all qualified persons. All applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, ancestry, medical condition (cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, or denial of medical and family care leave, or any other non-job-related factors.
Pre-Employment
All employment offers are contingent upon successful completion of pre-employment requirements including a criminal background investigation, which involves fingerprinting. (A felony or misdemeanor conviction may disqualify the applicant from County employment). A pre-employment physical examination and background check may be required.
Probationary Period
As an Approved Local Merit System, all County of Riverside employees, except those serving "At Will," are subject to the probationary period provisions as specified in the applicable Memorandum of Understanding, County Resolution, or Salary Ordinance. Temporary and Per Diem employees serve at the pleasure of the agency/department head.
General Information
Current County of Riverside and/or current employees of the hiring department may receive priority consideration. Qualified candidates may be considered for future County vacancies.
Job postings may close without notice based on application volume. Submit your complete application by the recruitment close date; no late applications are accepted. Ensure all relevant experience/education is reflected on your application/resume, as a failure to demonstrate position requirements may disqualify applicants. A description of job duties directly copied from the job classification or job posting will not be considered.
Please read and follow any special application instructions on this posting. Click the 'Apply' link located on this page to submit your application. For additional instructions on the application process, examinations, Veteran's preference, pre-employment accommodation or other employment questions, please refer to our web site,
If you are experiencing technical problems, you may contact the governmentjobs.com applicant support desk Monday through Friday, 6 am to 5 pm Pacific Time at support@governmentjobs.com or toll-free 1-855-524-5627.
BENEFIT PROGRAM: SEI
MEDICAL/DENTAL/VISION INSURANCE: A choice of different medical, dental and visions plan are available to elect. The County provides a Flexible Benefit Credit contribution as governed by the applicable SEIU Memorandum of Understanding to contribute towards the cost of these plans.
Note: Employees on assignment through the Temporary Assignment Program (TAP) receive different benefits. See the list
MISCELLANEOUS RETIREMENT: County of Riverside has three retirement Tiers through the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS).

• Tier I (Classic Member - Formula 3% @ 60): Applicable to current and former County of Riverside local miscellaneous employees hired prior to 08/24/2012 and did not withdraw CalPERS contributions. The employee contribution is eight (8%) percent.
• Tier II (Classic Member - Formula 2% @ 60): Applicable to local miscellaneous employees 1) hired after 08/23/2012 through 12/31/2012; 2) Previously employed with another CalPERS contracting public agency or a reciprocal retirement system, with a break in service of less than six months between the separation date with the previous employer and the appointment date with the County of Riverside. The employee contribution is seven (7%) percent.
• Tier III (PEPRA New Member - Formula 2% @ 62): Applicable to CalPERS local miscellaneous new members hired on or after the implementation of the Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA) which took effect January 1, 2013. Effective July 1, 2023 employee contributions are 7.25% and will increase to 7.75% effective July 1, 2024.

A new member is defined as any of the following:

1. A new hire who enters CalPERS membership for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, and who has no prior membership in any California Public Retirement System.
2. A new hire who enters CalPERS membership for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, and who was a member with another California Public Retirement System prior to that date, but who is not subject to reciprocity upon joining CalPERS.
3. A member who first established CalPERS membership prior to January 1, 2013, and who is rehired by a different CalPERS agency after a break in service of greater than six (6) months.

CalPERS refers to all members that do not fit within the definition of a new member as "classic members".
Contribution rates are subject to change based on the County of Riverside annual actuarial valuation.
Note:
This summary is for general information purposes only. Additional questions regarding retirement formulas can be sent to or by calling the Benefits Information Line at (951) 955-4981,
Option 2.
If you have prior service credit with another CalPERS agency or within agencies, please contact CalPERS at (888) 225-7377 to determine which retirement tier would be applicable to you. CalPERS is governed by the Public Employees' Retirement Law. The Retirement Law is complex and subject to change. If there's any conflict between this summary and the law, the law will prevail over this summary.
DEFERRED COMPENSATION: Voluntary employee contribution with a choice between two 457 deferred compensation plan options.
VACATION ACCRUAL (Bi-Weekly Accrual):
0 < 3 year = 80 Hours (10 Days)
4 < 9 years = 120 Hours (15 Days)
10 or more years = 160 Hours (20 Days)
Maximum Vacation leave accumulation is 480 hours.
SICK LEAVE: Four (4) hours Sick Leave accrual per pay period with unlimited accrual.
HOLIDAYS: Normally 12 paid holidays per year.
BEREAVEMENT LEAVE: Allowed 5 days (3 days are County paid; 2 additional days can be taken from accrued Sick Leave balance).
BASIC LIFE INSURANCE: Equal to one times annual base salary not to exceed $50,000 of term life coverage. Premiums are paid by the County. Additional Supplemental Life plan is available for employee purchase.
DISABILITY:
Employees contribute to State Disability Insurance (SDI), which provides wage replacement benefits for individuals who are unable to work due to non-work-related illness,