Making Supply Chains Smarter: A Career in Optimization and Analytics

In this episode of the Supply Chain Careers Podcast, we sit down with Scott Mason, a seasoned supply chain leader whose career spans high-impact roles in industry, academia, and now at Amazon, where he leads optimization efforts for under-the-roof operations.

Scott shares how his early experiences in semiconductor manufacturing and consulting laid the groundwork for a career focused on modeling, analytics, and systems thinking. He reflects on his academic tenure at Clemson and the University of Arkansas, and what ultimately brought him back into industry to help Amazon move over 100 million packages a day with precision and efficiency.

We explore:

• The evolution of supply chain modeling — from spreadsheets to AI
• The critical balance between hard skills and soft skills
• Why empathy, communication, and self-awareness matter more than ever
• How Amazon's culture fosters innovation at scale
• Leadership lessons across academia, consulting, and tech

Whether you're a student, a seasoned professional, or someone exploring a pivot in supply chain, Scott’s insights offer a grounded roadmap for building a meaningful, impactful career.

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• Continuous Improvement
• Engineering
• Inventory Planning
• Logistics & Transportation
• Manufacturing
• Operations
• Robotics
• Sales & Business Development
• S&OP
• Strategic Sourcing & Procurement
• Supply Chain Management
• Technology & Automation
• Warehousing