Blue Origin

Engineer III, Make-Buy Optimization (MBO)

Blue Origin$112K — $156K *
Aerospace & Defense
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Engineering degree with experience in aerospace, manufacturing, or systems engineering
  • 5+ years of aerospace manufacturing processes and supply chain dynamics
  • Strong analytical skills and experience with project management
  • Excellent cross-functional collaboration and communication abilities
  • Knowledge of strategic sourcing concepts and supplier relationship management

Responsibilities

  • Lead cross-functional make-buy analyses for spacecraft and launch vehicle systems
  • Conduct make-buy analysis of parts, assemblies, and processes
  • Assess internal manufacturing capabilities vs. supplier capacity and expertise
  • Collaborate with engineering to ensure manufacturability and cost efficiency
  • Partner with procurement and supplier quality to identify and qualify suppliers
  • Document and communicate make-buy recommendations with data-driven justifications
  • Support continuous improvement of manufacturing and sourcing strategies

Benefits

  • Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
  • Paid parental leave alongside short and long-term disability benefits
  • 401(k) with a company match of up to 5%
  • Paid Time Off up to four weeks per year with up to 14 company-paid holidays
  • Education Support Program
Full Job Description
Application close date:
Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the requisition is closed.

This role is part of Blue Origin Operations, which is comprised of Integrated Supply Chain, Test Operations, Safety, Quality, and Mission Assurance. This includes Manufacturing and Supply Chain support across all Blue Origin facilities.

The Make-Buy Optimization (MBO) organization is responsible for developing and executing the strategy behind how the company decides what to manufacture internally versus what to source externally - and where and when those decisions are made. As a program-embedded Engineer III, you will serve as the dedicated MBWWH resource for an assigned program, working directly alongside engineering and program teams to drive timely, data-driven sourcing decisions.

This role requires a strong engineering foundation. You will engage credibly with design engineers, manufacturing engineers, and program leaders - evaluating internal fabrication capabilities and supplier options through a technical lens. Your work directly influences program affordability, schedule, and supply chain resilience.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Conduct detailed make-buy-where-when-how (MBWWH) analyses for assigned program parts, assemblies, and manufacturing processes
  • Evaluate internal manufacturing capabilities against external supplier options, considering technical readiness, cost, schedule, and risk
  • Build cost models and scenario analyses to support sourcing recommendations
  • Identify, track, and resolve incomplete or missing make/buy designations within the assigned program's bill of materials
  • Serve as the embedded MBWW representative for your assigned program, participating in design reviews and program milestone meetings
  • Partner with Design, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering teams to assess producibility and design-to-cost opportunities that influence make vs. buy decisions
  • Engage with engineering and program leadership as a technically credible peer - translating complex trade-offs into clear, data-backed recommendations
  • Develop well-documented decision packages with clear assumptions, risk assessments, and sourcing recommendations
  • Track and report on decision status, open items, and trends on a weekly basis
  • Collaborate with Procurement, Supplier Quality, Manufacturing Operations, and Finance to validate assumptions used in analyses
  • Support continuous improvement of MBWW tools, templates, and analytical workflows


Qualifications:

Required
  • Bachelor's degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Industrial, or Manufacturing Engineering - engineering degree is required; this role interfaces daily with technical engineering teams
  • 3-5 years of experience in aerospace manufacturing, systems engineering, supply chain engineering, or a related technical discipline
  • Working knowledge of aerospace manufacturing processes such as machining, fabrication, structures, composites, propulsion, or avionics integration
  • Demonstrated ability to perform quantitative trade-off analyses involving cost, schedule, technical risk, and operational factors
  • Comfortable engaging directly with engineers and program leaders - able to present technical recommendations and defend analytical conclusions
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills - able to produce clear, concise decision packages for leadership consumption
  • Proficiency in Excel or similar tools for data analysis, cost modeling, and reporting


Preferred
  • Experience in a program-embedded supply chain, manufacturing engineering, or industrial engineering role
  • Familiarity with launch vehicle or spacecraft development programs, including transition from development to production
  • Experience with make-buy analysis, strategic sourcing, or supplier evaluation in an aerospace or defense environment
  • Proficiency with data visualization tools such as Power BI, Tableau, or Smartsheet
  • Exposure to MRL/TRL frameworks, manufacturing readiness assessments, or rate maturity evaluations
  • Familiarity with Integrated Product Teams and program milestone review processes (PDR, CDR, PRR)


Base Pay Range for:
WA applicants is $112,059.00 - $156,882.60

Other site ranges may differ

Culture Statement

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.

Benefits
  • Benefits include: Medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability, 401(k) with a company match of up to 5%, and an Education Support Program.
  • Stock Options for all regular employees (working at least 20 hours/week)
  • Paid Time Off: Up to four (4) weeks per year based on weekly scheduled hours, and up to 14 company-paid holidays.
  • Dependent on role type and job level, employees may be eligible for benefits and bonuses based on the company's intent to reward individual contributions and enable them to share in the company's results, or other factors at the company's sole discretion. Bonus amounts and eligibility are not guaranteed and subject to change and cancellation. Please check with your recruiter for more details.

About Blue Origin

Blue Origin is an aerospace company that develops rockets and spacecraft for commercial and government customers. The company's products include the New Shepard suborbital vehicle and the New Glenn orbital rocket. Blue Origin was founded in 2000 by Jeff Bezos and is headquartered in Kent, Washington.
Learn more about Blue Origin
Size
3,000 employees
Industry
Founded
2000

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