Jonathan Ernster
— goes by JonInternational Operations Strategist & Systems Builder
Building and coordinating complex systems at scale — across aerospace manufacturing, global supply chains, and the emerging space economy. Grounded in engineering. Driven by what comes next.
CMU Tepper MBA. 10 years in civil engineering and construction. Dual US & Luxembourg citizen. Selected for Blue Origin's Business Rotation Program. Working toward a future where millions live and work in space — and the supply chains exist to make it real.
Philosophy
How Jon Works
Jon is most alive when building something that didn't exist before, leading a team through change, and solving tangible problems with visible impact. He earns trust through authenticity — not politics — and takes responsibility for outcomes that matter.
Techno-optimistic and grounded in tradition. Jon believes the greatest future imaginable — AI, the space economy, millions of humans living and working beyond Earth — is built by people who also respect heritage, stay close to nature, and work in the real world. The frontier and the foundation aren't opposites. They need each other.
Systems Builder
Jon started building physical systems — high-rises, underground infrastructure, capital programs. Now he builds organizational, operational, and supply systems for aerospace and advanced manufacturing. The engineering discipline carries over: scope management, risk mitigation, stakeholder coordination, and relentless attention to execution.
I operate where engineering discipline meets executive decision-making.
Optimization & Operations Research
Stochastic programming, mixed-integer optimization, capacity planning, scenario modeling, and risk-aware decision design. Python and Gurobi modeling applied to real operating decisions — supply allocation, network design, production scaling.
I apply quantitative models to real operating decisions — not just academic exercises.
International Supply Chain & Space Economy
Global sourcing strategy, manufacturing network design, supplier coordination across geographies, and cross-border logistics. Dual US-Luxembourg citizen focused on U.S., European, and Japanese supply ecosystems. Building toward the infrastructure that makes a permanent human presence in space possible.
Commercial Strategy & Business Development
Segment identification, market sizing, acquisition strategy, commercialization analysis, and competitive landscape mapping. From VC investment thesis methodology at Honda CSL to international go-to-market for cross-border industrial platforms.
I translate technical capability into economic value.
Experience
Professional Experience
Blue Origin — Business Rotation Program
Selected for Blue Origin's highly competitive Business Rotation Program, working across strategy, operations, and supply chain within advanced aerospace manufacturing. Focus on scaling production systems for next-generation hardware and building the supplier networks that make reusable space infrastructure possible.
- Rotational exposure across business strategy, operations, and supply chain
- Scaling production systems for next-generation aerospace hardware
- Supplier network development and complex multi-site program coordination
- Also received offers for Ops (Cape Canaveral) and SMS (Kent, WA) programs
Amazon — Pathways Operations Manager Intern
Operations Manager Pathways intern in Boston, MA. Identified critical process gaps across East region delivery stations. Built analytical models on data from 99 stations and 250M+ packages, produced diagnostic readouts, and developed automated daily alert systems.
- Root cause analysis and workflow automation across 99 delivery stations
- Analytical modeling on 250M+ package dataset
- Increased on-time delivery success by 42%
- Influenced national procedural changes through data-driven recommendations
Monoya Connect — Go-to-Market Strategy
Developed comprehensive go-to-market framework for an AI-driven platform connecting international buyers with Japanese manufacturers for OEM sourcing. CMU Tepper capstone project with on-the-ground research in Tokyo.
- US and European market penetration for cross-border industrial procurement
- Segment identification, buyer pain points, and channel strategy
- On-the-ground research in Tokyo, Japan (Feb–Mar 2026)
- Strategic recommendations on market-entry, pricing, and sales enablement
Honda — Corporate Startup Lab
Comprehensive robotics industry analysis for Honda's strategic investment and commercialization decisions. Built interactive dashboard analyzing 3,383+ robotics companies with $79.6B in total funding.
- Multi-dimensional sector scoring using VC investment thesis methodology
- Pittsburgh robotics ecosystem analysis across manufacturing, healthcare, logistics
- Commercialization frameworks: market sizing, technology readiness, unit economics
- Applied Honda's 'benefit for society' values as ethical alignment dimension
Civil Engineering & Construction Management
A decade building real things — high-rise project execution, capital project delivery, civil design and underground infrastructure modeling, and multi-stakeholder program coordination across residential, commercial, and mixed-use developments.
- PMP Certified · PE License (Water Resources — exam passed)
- General contractor for multi-family and mixed-use buildings, 80+ subcontractors
- $150M+ portfolio across affordable housing, luxury condominiums, and mixed-use
- Digital transformation of management tools and enterprise project analytics
Engineers Without Borders — Paul Polak & Bernard Amadei
4+ years of humanitarian engineering with Engineers Without Borders USA, working under the mentorship of founders Paul Polak and Bernard Amadei at CU Boulder. Designed and implemented fresh water systems for rural communities across three continents.
- Fresh water infrastructure projects in Peru, Galápagos Islands, and Nepal
- Vice President of the CU Boulder student chapter (2013)
- Field work combining civil engineering skills with cross-cultural collaboration
- Grounded Jon's belief that technology must serve people — not the other way around
Capabilities
Technical & Analytical
Modeling & Quantitative Analysis
- Python (Gurobi, scenario modeling, data analysis)
- Mixed-integer and linear optimization
- Stochastic programming
- Capacity and network modeling
- Financial modeling and valuation
- Risk analysis and sensitivity modeling
- Large dataset analysis (3,000+ company datasets)
- Interactive dashboard development
Operations & Program Management
- PMP Certified
- Manufacturing systems (Blue Origin)
- Supply chain coordination and supplier management
- Capital project execution and budgeting
- Multi-stakeholder program coordination
- Construction scheduling and risk management
- Cross-functional team leadership
Strategic & Commercial
- Market sizing and segment prioritization
- Acquisition strategy design
- Commercialization analysis
- Go-to-market strategy development
- Competitive intelligence and landscape mapping
- Investment thesis development (VC methodology)
- International market-entry planning
Technology & Tools
- Python (primary language)
- Gurobi Optimization
- AI/ML fundamentals
- Data visualization and dashboards
- Prompt engineering and AI integration workflows
- Transcription and audio processing pipelines
Education
Education & Formation
Carnegie Mellon University, Tepper School of Business
MBA — Strategy, Finance & Operations Research
Academic Focus
Operations Research
- Space and National Security
- Applications of Operations Research
- End-to-end Business Analytics
- Mixed-integer programming
- Capacity planning and network design
- Risk-aware decision design
Strategy & Finance
- Corporate strategy and competitive positioning
- Financial modeling and valuation
- Investment analysis and due diligence
- Market-entry strategy
AI & Technology
- Machine learning fundamentals
- AI-powered business applications
- Data analytics and predictive modeling
- Python for quantitative analysis
Tepper sharpened the quantitative rigor behind how I think about systems. The combination of operations research, stochastic modeling, and strategy gave me the tools to apply engineering discipline to business decisions.
Leadership at Tepper
Founder & President — Tepper AI Club
Designed 33-session topic roadmap across 4 quarters. Led workshops on AI for consulting, operations, finance, and marketing.
Vice President — DART (Defense, Aerospace, Robotics & Technology)
Hosted Blue Origin's Space Innovation Challenge for top MBA schools. Connected space industry with operations and supply chain career focus.
President — Tepper Wine Club
Rebuilt club culture and programming. Organized educational wine events blending networking with structured learning.
Luxembourg School of Business
Business studies — Dual US & Luxembourg citizen
University of Colorado Boulder
B.S. Civil Engineering — VP Engineers Without Borders · Study Abroad Buenos Aires
Studied under Bernard Amadei (EWB founder) and Paul Polak. Humanitarian engineering fieldwork in Peru, Galápagos, and Nepal. Languages: Spanish, French.
Certifications & Credentials
The problems I care about — production scaling, global supply networks, advanced manufacturing coordination — are the problems that determine whether technology reaches the world or stays in the lab. I want to be in the room where those decisions get made.
Connect
Let's Talk
Building toward an international career in space economy operations and supply chain strategy — based out of Colorado Springs. Interested in aerospace, global supply networks, or advanced manufacturing? Always open to meaningful conversations.
Colorado Springs, CO — an aerospace hub
© 2026 Jonathan Ernster
Built with intention