Robert Rufh
About Robert Rufh
Robert Rufh is the Director of Software Engineering at BLUE ORIGIN, with a background in software engineering and business management.
Director Software Engineering at BLUE ORIGIN
Robert Rufh is currently serving as the Director of Software Engineering at BLUE ORIGIN, a position he has held since 2022. In this role, he oversees the development and management of software engineering projects within the company. His responsibilities include strategic planning, managing development teams, and ensuring that software projects align with the company's business objectives. He previously held the position of Interim Director at BLUE ORIGIN in 2022 for 10 months, contributing to the company's engineering leadership during a period of transition.
Previous Roles at BLUE ORIGIN
Before becoming the Director of Software Engineering, Robert Rufh worked as a Senior Software Engineering Manager at BLUE ORIGIN from 2020 to 2022. In this role, he managed engineering teams and played a significant part in executing software development projects. His tenure in Kent, Washington, was marked by his contributions to the company's software engineering advancements.
Experience at PeopleConnect and Classmates.com
Prior to his current role, Robert worked as the Vice President of Software Engineering at PeopleConnect from 2016 to 2020. He led software engineering initiatives and contributed to corporate strategies in the Greater Seattle Area. His career also includes a long tenure at Classmates.com, where he served in various capacities including Vice President of Software Engineering and Director of Software Engineering. There, he was responsible for overseeing core technology initiatives and supervising engineering teams from 2009 to 2016.
Educational Background
Robert Rufh holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Management, Information Technology from Western Governors University, attained in 2018. He also earned an Associate's degree in Design and Visual Communications from The Art Institutes, where he studied from 1993 to 1995. His educational background combines design, communications, and business administration, providing a strong foundation for his career in software engineering and management.
Software Engineering and Management Philosophy
Robert Rufh advocates for a product development process centered on agile, incremental development using the build, measure, and learn loop. He promotes a culture of continual improvement through blameless retrospectives and aligning team goals with business objectives. Robert believes in servant leadership and accountability, and he enjoys mentoring engineering managers, emphasizing the importance of effective management of both teams and individual contributors to help them reach their full potential.