Cindy Schulz is a chief engineer and master system architect with more than 32 years of experience, the majority of which has been with Lockheed Martin. Her expertise in systems engineering, system architecture, and chief engineering includes the design, development, integration, testing, and operations of interplanetary and Earth observing spacecraft for both human and robotic missions throughout the solar system. 

She is the first woman at Lockheed Martin certified as a master system architect, reflecting her dedication to continual technical growth, capability, and vision.

Schulz grew up in Littleton, Colorado, a few miles from the Lockheed Martin Waterton Canyon facility where she works today. While in elementary school, a classmate’s father from the facility presented images of the Viking Mars lander that inspired Schulz to become an engineer. After attending the University of Colorado, Boulder summer high school honors institute, she remained at UC Boulder, earning a B.S. and an M.S. in aerospace engineering. 

Following a summer internship at Lockheed Martin Space and co-oping at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Schulz began her Lockheed Martin career there as a systems engineer, training astronaut crew.

Missing Colorado, she transferred to Lockheed Martin’s Littleton campus, working in the same building that produced the Viking spacecraft. She began applying her knowledge and skills on many challenging programs, including multiple NASA interplanetary missions. She is now recognized as a preeminent technical contributor within the corporation, delivering mission success, vision, and profitability by undertaking the most difficult technical challenges. 

Schulz tackled systems engineering on numerous missions in roles ranging from proposals to mission operations and has worked on 11 interplanetary spacecraft missions in addition to Artemis 1, GOES-R, and GPS-III. From her current pivotal role on Lockheed Martin’s JETSON project — Joint Emergent Technology Supplying On-Orbit Nuclear High Power — where her architecture and execution skills enabled success in nuclear electric power missions, to her efforts securing Mars Sample Return proposals for the company, Schulz exemplifies excellence and innovation. Her ability to assume architectural leadership, even in the absence of clear customer flow-down, or contractual terms, has captured the imagination of stakeholders like NASA and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, paving the way for future flight programs. 

Schulz has been recognized with several awards, including five NASA Group Achievement awards, three NOVA awards, and many Lockheed Martin performance and achievement awards. She enthusiastically mentors early and midcareer engineers, helping shape the next generation of technical talent. She teaches system architecture classes at Lockheed Martin and speaks about space in schools. 

Schulz enjoys spending time with her children, hiking, snowshoeing, running, camping, traveling the world, and volunteering with the Melanoma Research Foundation and CURE OM, the Community United for Research and Education of Ocular Melanoma.