1998 - 2002:
  University of Colorado
  Boulder, CO
  Major: Aerospace Engineering
              w/ Embedded Systems Certification
               Emphasis: Propulsion, Aerodynamics, Program Management
  Graduation date: May 2002
  Cumulative GPA: 3.45
  course history     CU website

1996: Navy Electronics Technician Maintenance School,
  Pearl Harbor, HI

1994: United States Naval Nuclear Prototype School
  INEL, ID

1993 - 1994: United States Naval Nuclear Power School
  Orlando, FL

1992 - 1993: United States Nuclear Field ET-A School
  Orlando, FL

2006-2007
3D Graphics Engine
• Written in C++ with Visual Studio as a hobby project. Used books to learn: Tricks of the 3D Game Programming Gurus and Physics Based Animation.
• Implements basic lighting, shaders, and physics. Includes a Maya geometry importer. Uses DirectX 9, inheritance, polymorphism. Object Oriented.
• Demonstrations

2004 – 2006
Autopilots and Feedback Control Systems
• Simulated and updated 6-DOF and autopilot software for a missile guidance system using test data results from a 4-axis Hardware-In-The-Loop facility.
• Written in Fortran, Ada, and Matlab for Lockheed Martin.

2004
Database Application
• Developed user interface application for a housing sales office.
• Written in C# using ADO with Visual Studio.

2003
Real-Time Embedded Operating System
• Written in C. Rate-monotomic priority-preemptive multitasking real-time operating system with a shell. Written as a hobby project. 68HC12 platform.
• Goal was to develop it in 30 days without reference to how operating systems work. Used semaphores, mutexes, task-control blocks, etc. Very successful.

May 2007- Present
Aerojet - Redmond
Bipropellant Systems
Redmond, Washington
web site

• Senior Project Engineer - Development, analysis, building, and testing of bipropellant rocket engine systems for customers.
• Systems Engineer capacity includes specification requirements verification, allocation, and flow-down from customer requirements.
• Technical Team Lead for a large thruster contract. Daily scheduling, coordination, and tasking of the engineering, manufacturing, and procurement teams. Give presentations regularly for customer meetings, management reviews, team meetings, and weekly supplier management teleconferences.
• Program-based industry requires heavy use of program management concepts. Work closely with the program manager. Program team environment.
• Driving multiple efficiency improvement projects for the company.

July 2002 - May 2007
Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control
Tactical Missiles Mission Area
Orlando, Florida
web site

• Development and testing of the thermobaric warhead for the AGM-114N Hellfire II missile for rapid deployment to Afghanistan.
• Extensive experience with finite element modeling and simulation of high-speed target impacts for multiple missile programs with Patran and Epic Hydrocode. Heavy use of physical modeling tools.
• Lead Warhead Engineer for 3 years on the Joint Common Missile program. Significant field testing experience, test planning and conducting experience, and missile test vehicle design and fabrication experience. Heavy customer interaction including design reviews, meetings, and presentations. Subcontractor interaction and management. Program team environment.
• Emphasis on Program Management career development through three annual 1-week long conferences and periodic management training classes.

Aug 2001 - Dec 2001
Mechatronics Course Teaching Assistant
University of Colorado, Boulder
Mechanical Engineering Department
MCEN 4278 / 5268

• Helped students in laboratory excersizes.
• Developed microcontroller boards and tools for use by the students.
• Troubleshot student robot designs.



May 2001 - Aug 2001
Pioneer Astronautics
Lakewood, CO
web site

• Research and Development of small rocket engines using exotic fuels for potential use on future Mars missions.
• Research and Development of Nitrous Oxide based RCS monopropellant thrusters for use on small spacecraft.
[pictures]

Sept 2000 - Present
MaCH-SR1 Launch Vehicle Team
University of Colorado, Boulder
web site

• Conceived the project and led the team for two years as the Project Manager and Design/Test Team Lead. High visibility project. Industry collaboration.
• Designed, built, and tested a 1,000 lb thrust hybrid rocket engine. Engine used liquid oxygen and an HTPB fuel developed by the team.
• Developed custom 3-DOF code to predict performance requirements

April 2000 - May 2001
Nasa's Colorado Space Grant Consortium
Boulder, CO
web site

• Wrote IDL and Perl software to produce web-based data products for the Citizen-Explorer I satellite.
• Desiged controller hardware/software for the imaging systems aboard the NASA/AFRL Three-Corner Sat satellites.



1998 - 2000
University of Colorado Veterans' Services Office
Boulder, CO
web site

• Helped veterans adjust to the civilian world, and receive their veterans' educational benefits.



1992 - 1998
United States Navy Submarine Force
USS Indianapolis, SSN 697
Pearl Harbor, HI

• Operated the nuclear reactor onboard the USS Indianapolis.
• Troubleshot and repaired all malfunctioning reactor safety equipment, and aided with electrical power generation and distribution equipment.
• Supervised junior personnel in Reactor Controls Division.
• Led training sessions for division personnel on nuclear power plant operations and theory, and on electrical/electronics theory.
• Achieved ET-1/E-6 rank in 5 ½ years.

Computer Software: Patran, Epic Hydrocode, ProE, MS Office

Computer Languages: Experienced with: C/C++, Perl, Matlab
Exposed to: VB.NET, Verilog, IDL, Fortran, VHDL, SQL, HTML, Javascript

Operating Systems: Linux, Solaris, Win98/NT/2k, VxWorks

Computer Hardware: Real-time embedded systems experience on the 8051, 68HC12, Pentium

Mechanical: Machine shop experience on conventional lathes, mills, and on CNC mills, Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing

Languages: English, Japanese, Spanish

Other: Private Pilot, Technical writing, Project Management, Team skills

Sigma Gamma Tau- National Aerospace Honor Society

Golden Key National Honor Society

Alpha Phi Omega- National Service Fraternity

Phi Chi Sigma- National Veterans Fraternity

University of Colorado Engineering Council

University of Colorado Curriculum Improvement Team

Colorado Space Grant Consortium; CX and 3CS projects

CU Boulder Deans List

Outdoor: Camping, backpacking, 4WDing, target shooting, flying, scuba diving

Fitness: Rock climbing, working out, swimming

Spare Time: Motorcycle, friends, trips, racing

Technical: Programming, embedded systems, rocket engines

Artistic: Piano

email: ryan@rlpotter.com

telephone: 425-381-6139