R. Owen Gildard
About R. Owen Gildard
R. Owen Gildard is a Weapon Systems Engineer at Sandia National Laboratories with extensive experience in electromechanical and nuclear test engineering.
Current Position at Sandia National Laboratories
R. Owen Gildard is currently employed as a Weapon Systems Engineer at Sandia National Laboratories. He began working in this capacity in 2021. Sandia National Laboratories is known for developing science and technology that advance national security, which aligns with Gildard's professional expertise in weapon systems engineering.
Previous Roles at Newport News Shipbuilding
Prior to his current role, R. Owen Gildard held multiple positions at Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries. Notably, he was part of the Professional Enhancement and Enrichment Rotation (PEER) Program from 2019 to 2021. During his tenure, he served in various capacities including Electromechanical Systems Engineer (2021), Nuclear Test Engineer (2020), Acting Program Manager (2020), Project Analyst (2019-2020), and Mechanical Engineer (2019). He also worked as a Nondestructive Testing Engineer from 2017 to 2019.
Early Career and Internship Experience
Gildard's career began with roles across diverse industries. He was a Product Development Intern at Scinovia Corp. in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, in 2016. In 2015, he worked in the aviation industry at Vern Darley DAR/CFI and also as a Maintenance Technician at Frank W Cawood & Assoc Inc in Peachtree City, GA. His earlier experiences include being an Industrial Automations Intern at Industrial Systems Group in Chattanooga, TN, and a General Service Technician at Market St. Tire and Auto in Chattanooga, TN, both in 2014 and 2013, respectively. Additionally, from 2012 to 2015, he served as a French Tutor and Professor's Assistant at Covenant College.
Academic Background
R. Owen Gildard holds two degrees. He completed a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Mechanical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology from 2015 to 2017. Before that, he achieved a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Natural Sciences from Covenant College, where he studied from 2012 to 2017. Both degrees have provided him with a solid foundation in engineering and the natural sciences.