Specialist - Production Control/Inventory III - Custom Precise Machinery

Job description

Application close date: Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the requisition is closed. 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! 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. This role supports a family of advanced custom precision machines built entirely in-house at Blue Origin. These are not purchased tools with a service contract behind them — we architect them, build them, instrument them, and sustain them ourselves. Each machine is a large-envelope, multi-axis precision platform assembled from thousands of parts spanning precision mechanical components, motion and feedback hardware, fluid and thermal assemblies, electrical and control hardware, and long-lead custom fabrications. Every one of those parts has to be in the right place on the right day. That is this job. You will own the material side of building new machines, keeping a fielded fleet running, and executing retrofits on hardware already in production — kitting the work, controlling the inventory, and driving the procurement that feeds all three. This is a high-leverage seat. A single missing long-lead component can hold a machine build for weeks, and a machine that is down stops engine hardware from moving. You will be the person who sees that coming and prevents it — working directly with the engineers who specify the parts, the technicians who install them, and the supply chain that delivers them. Passion for our mission and vision is required. Special Mentions • Relocation provided • Occasional extended hours or weekend coverage may be required to support machine builds and unplanned downtime • On-site role — this work requires physical presence with the material and the hardware ________________________________________________________________________________________________ Responsibilities include but are not limited to: • Own kitting for machine build, maintenance, and retrofit work — pull, stage, verify, and issue complete kits against work orders so that technicians never start a job short • Perform kit shortage analysis ahead of work-order release, identify what will not be available in time, and drive resolution before the shortage stops work • Maintain inventory accuracy through cycle counting, physical inventory, bin and location control, and reconciliation of system records against what is physically on the shelf • Receive, inspect for count and damage, label, and put away incoming material; manage returns and discrepant material through the appropriate disposition process • Control and track spare parts inventory for a fielded machine fleet, including setting and maintaining min/max levels, reorder points, and safety stock on critical and long-lead items • Generate and manage purchase requisitions for machine parts, consumables, and spares; track them through purchase order placement, acknowledgement, shipment, and receipt • Expedite critical and late material, escalate supplier delivery risk, and communicate revised dates to the engineers and technicians whose work depends on them • Interface with buyers, planners, suppliers, and receiving to resolve pricing, quantity, lead-time, documentation, and quality-hold issues • Maintain and reconcile bills of material against engineering releases and change notices, and flag material impacts when a design change lands on hardware already ordered or already installed • Track material against machine serial numbers and configurations, so that what was installed on which machine is a matter of record rather than recollection • Manage material for retrofit and upgrade campaigns, including staging kits per machine and sequencing deliveries against planned downtime windows • Maintain accurate transaction records in the ERP and work-order systems — receipts, issues, moves, adjustments, and backflush — and investigate transaction errors and inventory variances to root cause • Support control of consumables, calibrated tooling, and shelf-life-limited items, including expiration tracking and removal from service • Produce and communicate material status reporting — shortages, open orders, aging, and inventory health — to engineering and program leadership • Identify and implement process improvements in kitting, storage layout, labeling, and material flow that measurably reduce shortages and search time • Operate material handling equipment safely, and maintain an organized, audit-ready stockroom • Train and mentor junior production control and material handling personnel ________________________________________________________________________________________________ Minimum Qualifications • High school diploma or GED • 5+ years of experience in production control, material planning, inventory control, kitting, stockroom operations, procurement support, or equivalent supply chain experience in a manufacturing environment • Hands-on experience with an ERP or MRP system for inventory transactions, purchase requisitions, and work-order material management • Demonstrated ability to read and interpret bills of material, engineering drawings, and part numbers, and to identify the correct part with confidence • Experience performing cycle counts and resolving inventory discrepancies to root cause • Proficiency with Microsoft Excel for tracking, reconciliation, and reporting • Demonstrated accuracy and attention to detail in transaction-based work where an error propagates • Ability to prioritize competing demands and communicate clearly with engineers, technicians, and suppliers • Ability to ea