Steven Lessard
About Steven Lessard
Steven Lessard is a Senior Software Development Engineer at Blue Origin, specializing in systems engineering for the Blue Moon Mk2 lunar lander. He has extensive experience in software development for various systems including spacecraft, robots, and wearable devices.
Current Position at Blue Origin
Steven Lessard holds the position of Senior Software Development Engineer at Blue Origin. Since 2023, he has been based in Kent, Washington. His primary responsibility involves developing software for the Crewed Lunar Lander, the Blue Moon Mk2, with a focus on systems engineering.
Previous Experience at Microsoft
Before joining Blue Origin, Steven worked at Microsoft as a Software Engineer II from 2020 to 2023. During his three years in Redmond, Washington, he contributed to a variety of software development projects, enhancing his expertise in developing robust and scalable software solutions.
Research and Development at U.S. Army ERDC
Steven's tenure at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) began as a Research and Development Intern in 2017. He later worked as a Computer Scientist from 2018 to 2020 in Alexandria, VA, where he focused on developing specialized software and conducting research in various technological domains.
Educational Background and Research Contributions
Steven earned his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Computer Engineering from the University of California, Santa Cruz, where he was a Graduate Student Researcher at the DANSER Lab from 2014 to 2018. He also served as a Head Teaching Assistant during this time. Prior to that, he completed his Bachelor of Science (BS) in Computer Science at Tufts University, gaining valuable research experience as an Undergraduate Research Assistant.
Internships and Early Career
Steven's early career is marked by multiple research internships, notably at NASA Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, CA, where he served as a Research Intern in 2014, 2015, and 2016. He also worked at IBM as an Intern Programmer in 2012, and as a Systems Administrator at Tufts CEAS from 2011 to 2012, among other roles.