Technical Manager Commodity

Blue Origin · Greater Seattle Area · $112,059–$156,883 (stated in the posting)

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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!  

The Technical Commodity Manager will be embedded directly with engineering and manufacturing teams, participating in design reviews, trade studies, and production planning from the earliest stages. You will own the end-to-end supplier lifecycle: building bid packages, running competitive source selection events, qualifying new suppliers, negotiating contracts, and driving supplier readiness through PPAP, capability studies, and run-at-rate validation. You will work in a fast-paced, high-rate production environment with a focus on cost-down, dual-sourcing, and cycle time compression.

This role is ideal for someone who thrives in ambiguity, moves fast with incomplete information, embraces technology and automation, and is comfortable building processes from scratch. You will work with a diverse global supply base—many new to the organization—and must be skilled at onboarding and developing suppliers to meet high-rate production demands.

Special Mentions

• Travel expected up to 25% of the time for supplier visits, audits, source selection events, and on-site problem-solving.
• Relocation provided

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Sourcing & Supplier Management

• Build comprehensive bid packages with technical requirements, commercial terms, and evaluation criteria in collaboration with Supply Chain Engineers and Commodity Managers
• Lead competitive source selection events
• Qualify and onboard new suppliers, including facility assessments, capability validation, and contract execution
• Drive supplier readiness through PPAP, tooling acceptance, Control Plans, capability studies (Cp/Cpk), and run-at-rate validation to prove suppliers can meet high-rate production demands
• Validate supplier capacity to scale from low-rate initial production through high-rate steady-state, ensuring adequate tooling, equipment, shifts, and process capability
• Develop and execute dual/tri-source strategies to mitigate risk and drive cost competition
• Conduct make/buy/where trade studies in partnership with engineering and manufacturing to support vertical integration decisions
• Negotiate contracts, pricing, terms, and remedies with suppliers; manage long-term agreements (LTAs/MSAs) with indexed pricing and capacity commitments

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Reporting

• Embed with assigned technical programs
• Partner with Supply Chain Engineers on technical readiness and Commodity Managers on commercial strategy
• Provide detailed status, risk, and mitigation reporting to program leadership and executive stakeholders
• Use data and dashboards (auto-generated by AI agents) to identify trends, predict delays, and drive corrective action

AI-First Operating Model

• Define requirements for AI-driven procurement automation: bid package generation, supplier risk screening, PO/ASN reconciliation, and predictive analytics
• Supervise automated processes with human-in-the-loop approvals; focus time on strategic decisions and exceptions
• Continuously improve templates, workflows, and automation to compress cycle time and eliminate manual work

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree with 5+ years OR Master's degree with 3+ years of supply chain, engineering, or program management experience in manufacturing environments
• Proven track record of managing NPI (New Product Introduction) or development programs from design through high-rate production at scale
• Experience with First Article Inspection, supplier capability studies, and production readiness validation including run-at-rate assessments
• Understanding of high-rate production requirements: takt time, line balancing, capacity validation, and supplier scalability from low-rate to high-rate
• Experience building and executing sourcing strategies: competitive events, dual-sourcing, make/buy trades, and total cost analysis
• Excellent cross-functional collaboration skills; able to embed with engineering and manufacturing teams and influence
• Superior communication skills—able to distill complex supply chain issues into clear executive summaries and recommendations
• Strong analytical and quantitative skills; experience with BOMs, MRP/ERP systems, material estimating, cost modeling, and supply chain metrics
• Comfort with digital tools, supplier portals, EDI/TMS, and data-driven decision-making; enthusiasm for AI/automation adoption
• Self-starter who can define scalable processes, build templates, and operate effectively in a startup-like environment
• Willingness to travel (up to 25%) for supplier visits, audits, and on-site problem-solving

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience in high-rate manufacturing environments with takt-driven planning, JIT principles, and production rates
• Experience onboarding and developing new suppliers, including international/global sourcing across multiple regions
• Lean Six Sigma training (Green Belt or higher) or equivalent continuous improvement experience
• Experience with cost-down strategies: should-cost modeling, learning curves, indexed pricing, and competitive re-bids
• Experience working with diverse commodity types: castings/forgings, machined parts, assemblies, electronics, raw materials, and special processes (welding, heat treat, coatings, NDT)
• Background in supplier development, capacity planning, and capital investment in supplier base
• Familiarity with export control requirements and global supply chain compliance

Base Pay Range for:

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.

Export Control Regulations

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.

Background Check

• 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

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.

Equal Employment Opportunity

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.

Affirmative Action and Disability Accommodation

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.

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