Sr. Commodity Engineer- Raw Materials

Application close date:

At Blue Origin, we envision millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. We’re working to develop reusable, safe, and low-cost space vehicles and systems within a culture of safety, collaboration, and inclusion. Join our team of problem solvers as we add new chapters to the history of spaceflight!  

Blue Origin is seeking a driven and technically grounded Sr. Commodity Engineer for Raw Materials to develop the vision and execution of the end-to-end engineering supply chain strategy for critical raw materials including aluminum plate and tube stock, copper, titanium, steel, and other metallic commodities. You will standardize the raw material Blue Origin uses and establish a robust supply chain end to end at the lowest possible cost.

This role is pivotal in enabling our manufacturing teams to build at rate by eliminating material variability via standardization, evaluating  specifications to design around, and establishing a resilient, cost-competitive supply base that minimizes scrap and always ensures material availability to build at rate.  This is a high-impact, cross-functional role at the intersection of engineering and supply chain — requiring someone who seeks to understand the design drivers of our products and thinks strategically about total cost of ownership while rolling up their sleeves to define standard material sizing, material qualification, supplier selection (e.g. mills and material processing/storage) in partnership with materials and process engineering, material planning, procurement, commodity management, production and program engineering teams.  You will also drive identification of data systems and tool gaps to support Blue Origin’s raw material strategy while partnering with Enterprise Technology teams to address those gaps.

This position will have a direct impact on the history of space exploration, requiring your unwavering commitment to safe and repeatable spaceflight. Blue Origin's production ambitions depend on a supply base that is qualified, capable, and continuously improving — and this role is at the center of building that foundation from scratch. By standing up Blue Origin's Raw Material Strategy, you will help realize our vision of millions of people living and working in space to benefit Earth.

• →Lead a comprehensive design standardization effort across aluminum plate, aluminum tube, copper, and other raw material commodities to consolidate part numbers, alloys, tempers, and treatments to a defined set of standard sizes and specifications
• →Partner with design engineering, manufacturing engineering, and materials & processes (M&P) to drive adoption of standard material catalog across programs and product lines
• →Develop and maintain a master raw material catalog that defines approved alloys, dimensions, surface treatments, and heat treat conditions
• →Influence design-for-supply-chain early in the product development cycle to prevent future fragmentation

• →Partner with commodity management to develop and execute a multi-year commodity strategy for raw materials that aligns with production rate ramp, cost reduction targets, and supply security objectives
• →Work with commodity management to negotiate long-term agreements (LTAs), blanket purchase orders, and consignment/VMI arrangements that reduce unit cost and improve material availability
• →Collaborate with finance and operations to develop should-cost models and benchmark supplier pricing against market indices

• →Identify inventory and stocking shortcomings and gaps (safety stock, kanbans, VMI) and develop/execute strategies in partnership with multi-disciplined stakeholders to reduce material shortages and support production rate increases
• →Partner with supply chain and operations personnel to establish the standard operating system for raw material forecasting, procurement, stocking and consumption.
• →Track and report commodity cost savings, supplier performance metrics, and supply chain risk indicators to leadership

• →Work with Supplier Quality Engineering (SQE) to define incoming inspection requirements, certifications (e.g., AMS, ASTM), and first article requirements for raw material suppliers

• Bachelor's degree in Materials Science, Metallurgical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical field
• 10+ years of experience in materials engineering, commodity management, strategic sourcing, supply chain, in a manufacturing environment
• Experience in aerospace, defense, or high-consequence manufacturing environments
• Demonstrated experience with metallic raw materials including aluminum (plate, tube, extrusions), copper, titanium, or steel
• Working knowledge of material specifications and standards (AMS, ASTM, MIL-SPEC) and associated forms, alloys, and heat treat designations
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; able to influence cross-functional stakeholders at all levels

• Familiarity with AS9100 quality management systems and aerospace supplier qualification processes
• Experience performing engineering design and qualification of components or products for use in a safety critical industry.
• Experience driving design-to-commodity or DFMA initiatives in collaboration with product engineering
• Knowledge of commodity market dynamics, metal indices, and hedging strategies
• MBA or advanced degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, or Business

Base Pay Range for:

Don’t meet all desired requirements? Studies have shown that some people are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single desired qualification. At Blue Origin, we are dedicated to building an authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every desired qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Applicants for employment at Blue Origin must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e. current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

• Required for all positions: Blue’s Standard Background Check
• Required for Certain Job Profiles:  Defense Biometric Identification System (DBIDS) background check if at any time the role requires one to be on a military installation
• Required for Certain Job Profiles: Drivers who operate Commercial Motor Vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) or combination of power unit and trailer that meets or exceeds 10,001 lbs. and/or transports placardable amounts of hazardous materials by ground in any vehicle on a public road while in commerce, may be subject to additional Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations including: Driver Qualification Files, Medical Certification (obtained before onboarding), Road Test, Hours of Service, Drug and Alcohol Testing, vehicle inspection requirements, CDL requirements (if applicable) and hazardous materials transportation/shipping training.
• Required for certain Job Profiles: Ability to obtain and maintain Merchant Mariner Credential, which includes pre-employment and random drug testing as well as DOT physical

Blue Origin is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and is committed to attracting, retaining, and developing a highly qualified and dedicated work force. Blue Origin hires and promotes people on the basis of their qualifications, performance, and abilities. We support the establishment and maintenance of a workplace that fosters trust, equality, and teamwork. We provide all qualified applicants for employment and employees with equal opportunities for hire, promotion, and other terms and conditions of employment, regardless of their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin/ethnicity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic factors, military/veteran status, or any other status or characteristic protected by federal, state, and/or local law. Blue Origin will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the Washington Fair Chance Act, the California Fair Chance Act, the Los Angeles Fair Chance in Hiring Ordinance, and other applicable laws. For more information on “Know Your Rights,” please see here.

Applicants wishing to receive information on Blue Origin’s Affirmative Action Plans, or applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the application and/or interview process, please contact us at EEOCompliance@blueorigin.com. Please note this is a publicly managed inbox. Please do not include any personal medical information in your request.