Meet Alyssa - Industrial Engineer
"I was five years old when I first saw the skunk mascot on the side of a Lockheed Martin hangar near my home. After reading books about engineers whose inventions changed the world, I became more curious about the work going on in that hangar. I turned that curiosity into action and worked hard to become a “skunk” at Lockheed Martin, working with other ambitious engineers to change the world – one great invention at a time.”
About Alyssa
Alyssa grew up in Palmdale, California, and has always loved to learn! Her favorite subjects in school were (and still are) math and science, so it was natural that she finally decided to pursue a career in engineering. A fun fact about Alyssa is that she decided to apply to engineering schools two weeks before applications were due and was accepted by all eight schools. She started her education in the field of electrical engineering but switched to industrial engineering because of its versatility.
In college, Alyssa participated in clubs during college. She served as the Engineering Senator for Cal Poly Pomona's Associated Students (ASI), President for Society of Women Engineers (SWE), International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE), and as a project manager for a student-led project of over 100 students. In addition to her campus involvement, she interned and worked at S. Bravo Systems where she helped with process improvements, marketing, and so much more!
Upon graduation in 2019, Alyssa traveled to Florida to compete in the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) Student Paper Competition. At the conference, she met her current colleague and her manager and was soon offered a position at Lockheed Martin, Skunk Works. Alyssa shares, "I always wanted to work at Skunk Works, and when I was offered a position, I couldn't pass it up."
Alyssa is now involved in the Women's Impact Network (WIN), "I get to work on challenging projects that not very many people can say they have worked. My team is full of great people with different experiences and I learn something new almost every day.," she said. Throughout the two years with Lockheed Martin, Alyssa earned her Lean Six Sigma certification by the University of Michigan for Master's in Lean Manufacturing. She plans to become a manager, lead teams, and eventually lead her own company.
"I work a 4/10 schedule. This flexible work schedule allows me to have an amazing work-life balance!" She loves the outdoors - camping, hiking, and relaxing in the sun. "My partner and I are huge foodies, so I love our random adventures to try new foods! I also began to sew again and am working on my own swimsuit business!"