Current Role at Blue Origin

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Q: Can you describe your current position at Blue Origin and the field you work in?

A: I’m a member of the XR team in Operations, based at our corporate HQ in Kent, Washington. I lead an initiative called Reality Capture, which focuses on creating digital twins—3D models of where work is conducted. The other half of my role is what we call AR for M, augmented reality for manufacturing, which I oversee in Washington, California, and at our Texas launch site. We just flew NS-29 last week with a scientific payload to the edge of space. When I’m not capturing reality, I’m inserting virtual objects into it using head-worn, see-through AR—hands-free work instruction that’s a game-changer for our complex manufacturing.

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Subject: A Typical Day

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Q: What does an average day look like for you?

A: My days vary—there’s no “average,” really. I typically start by reviewing emails and tickets in Jira, since East Coast teams start hours before me. We use Jira for project tracking and Confluence as our wiki. Our team is service-oriented—other departments request AR or reality capture services via tickets. I triage those requests, assign work, review updates, and ensure our digital models reflect any changes on the shop floor. I also meet with leadership to promote tech adoption and collaborate cross-functionally for skill-sharing.

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Career Path

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Q: How did you get into your current field? What’s your background?
 

A: My path was anything but typical. I started out skateboarding—got sponsored, appeared in skate videos and magazines, and worked for the sneaker company that endorsed me. From there, I studied film—City College, then the Art Institute—made shorts, documentaries, sold a piece to Fox, and even had video installations in museums. Meanwhile, I worked as a game tester for Sega and Sony—getting paid to play games.

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In 2007, I saw a Red Bull magazine ad that triggered augmented reality through my webcam. That changed everything. I began developing AR solutions on my own, entered competitions, and collaborated with engineers despite not having a formal engineering education. At REI, I built a virtual shoe try-on app and digital twins of stores and distribution centers. I eventually had offers from Starbucks, Meta, and Blue Origin—but chose Blue for the excitement of working on space tech, despite the lower pay.

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Advice for Young People

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Q: What advice would you give young people interested in future opportunities in your field?
A: Learn how to learn—master yourself and stay disciplined. That’s the foundation of success. Build practical skills: understand software development lifecycles, cloud systems, web-based tools, content streaming, marketing psychology, and logical thinking from math and science. Don’t just rely on formal education—use tools like wikis, ticket systems, AI assistants, spreadsheets—be curious and explore your passions while you develop real-world skills.

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Regrets and Lessons Learned

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Q: Would you do anything differently in your career?

A: Honestly? No. Following my passions has brought me here. But I do encourage listening to your mentors—coaches, teachers—asking questions, challenging ideas. Many genuinely want to help you succeed, even if they seem tough.

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Goals

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Q: Do you see yourself staying at Blue Origin long-term?

A: I love my work at Blue. That said, I’m working on something exciting in spatial computing that I may pursue as my own venture. For now, I’m fully committed here.

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Blue Origin’s Vision

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Q: How does Blue Origin’s vision differ from other space companies?

A: We believe in “millions of people living and working in space.” Earth is our “blue origin,” and we aim to protect it by shifting manufacturing off-world, tapping resources like asteroid minerals rather than mining Earth. We’re developing orbital habitats—like O’Neill cylinders—complete with simulated environments. I’m currently working on the Orbital Reef space station, designed for long-term human habitation with comforts beyond the ISS.

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Favorite Part of the Job

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Q: What’s your favorite part of your work?

A: My favorite part is seeing solutions I’ve built actually work. Recently, I created an AR solution for building rocket torque fins—previously, each side had 1–3 errors. With my solution, they built three fins with zero errors. That’s a huge win in speed, safety, and quality—and that’s the stoke I live for.