CNC Machinist & Programmer III

BLUE ORIGIN•Huntsville, AL

About The Position

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 is a foundational member of the machining team for a new advanced hardware program at Blue Origin. The successful candidate will set up, operate, and optimize multi-axis CNC equipment to produce high-precision components for rotating machinery, heat exchangers, and structural assemblies. This includes 5-axis milling, CNC turning, grinding, and EDM operations on materials including nickel superalloys, stainless steels, and specialty alloys. As an early hire, this machinist will go beyond running parts — they will provide direct machinability feedback to the design engineering team, influence tolerancing and feature geometry before designs freeze, and play a key role in evaluating and selecting the CNC machines that will form the long-term production equipment plan. This is a development environment where the right candidate will shape the machining strategy from the ground up.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED; associate degree in machining technology or equivalent technical training preferred
10+ years of hands-on manufacturing experience in an aerospace environment
5+ years of experience working with multi-axis lathes and high-speed 5-axis mills producing complex parts with tight tolerances
5+ years of experience machining hardened metals including nickel-based alloys, stainless steels, and high-temperature superalloys
Extensive experience with CNC controls including Mazak, Okuma, Fanuc, Heidenhain, Siemens, or equivalent platforms
Excellent blueprint reading skills including GD&T per ASME Y14.5; ability to interpret engineering models, drawings, specifications, written work instructions, and test procedures
CAM software experience, preferably Siemens NX
Proficiency with precision measurement instruments (micrometers, bore gauges, indicators, CMM operation, surface profilometers)
Ability to work effectively with close attention to detail in a fast-paced, dynamic team environment with rapidly changing roles and responsibilities
A continuous improvement mindset — our job is never complete; we are always optimizing
Extremely customer focused with strong verbal and written communication skills
A demonstrated ability to work cooperatively with teams of multiple skills across large geographic distances
Exceptional organizational and analytical skills and a proven ability to drive complex projects with minimal oversight

Nice To Haves

Experience with turbomachinery components made from nickel-based alloys, stainless steel, copper, or titanium
Tooling and fixture design experience — ability to concept and specify workholding for complex geometries
Experience operating heavy lifting equipment such as cranes and forklifts around flight-critical hardware
Outside processing knowledge (heat treat, plating, coating, EDM, grinding, etc.)
Experience with post-processing of additive manufactured parts (finish machining AM components)
Experience with 5-axis simultaneous machining (DMG Mori, Hermle, Mikron, or similar)
Experience evaluating and selecting CNC machine tools for production — vendor assessment, capability studies, and factory acceptance testing
Familiarity with AS9100 quality management systems

Responsibilities

Setting up and operating multi-axis CNC milling machines (3-axis through 5-axis) to produce precision components per engineering drawings and process plans
Setting up and operating CNC lathes and turning centers for precision shaft, housing, and case machining
Interpreting engineering drawings with complex GD&T requirements and planning machining sequences to achieve specified tolerances
Providing machinability feedback directly to design engineering — advising on tolerancing, feature accessibility, fixturing constraints, and material selection to improve producibility before designs freeze
Evaluating and recommending CNC machines for the long-term production equipment plan — assessing machine tool capability, work envelope, accuracy, and throughput against program requirements
Performing first-article machining for new part numbers — optimizing feeds, speeds, tool paths, and fixturing for challenging materials and geometries
Performing in-process measurement using precision instruments (CMM, micrometers, bore gauges, surface profilometers) and making offset adjustments to maintain tolerance
Supporting post-processing of additively manufactured parts including finish machining of AM-printed components to final dimensions
Maintaining tooling inventories, performing tool life management, and recommending tool selection for new applications
Documenting machining results, tool life data, and process parameters for production knowledge capture
Supporting process qualification and capability studies (Cp/Cpk) for critical dimensions
Maintaining equipment through basic preventive maintenance and identifying issues requiring maintenance support