Robinson always had a gift for mathematics, but it wasn’t until she met her physics teacher in high school that she considered pursuing a career in engineering.

“When I was in school, I didn’t have much exposure to career fields that I could pursue,” she said. “My physics teacher, however, was a retired electrical engineer, so he did a lot of sharing about the things he did in his career. In his class, we had the opportunity to build and shoot rockets, learn morse code, and learn how to construct our own mini rollercoasters.”

Those experiences piqued Robinson’s interest and established her passion for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. She attended George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, where she majored in electrical engineering and obtained internships with industrialization and manufacturing companies. For one of her internships, Robinson landed at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division in Indiana and supported hydrophone and hydrostatic testing, which evaluate acoustic signature and system integrity, respectively. 

After graduating with her Bachelor of Science in 2021, she entered the federal workforce and began working at Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) in Patuxent River, Maryland.  

“I moved to NAVAIR and was an electrical engineer working specifically in the Ship and Air Integration Warfare Division,” she said. “I started off working on documentation assessment and sensor fusion technologies, but then went on to support designs of mechanical and electrical systems, conducting update assessments and similar responsibilities for naval vessel systems.”

Robinson also contributed to creating solutions for communication systems aboard naval vessels operating in a Globally Positioned System denied environment. This research and development effort aimed at ensuring Sailors are equipped to complete their mission and evaluating the technical readiness of technologies proposed for use on platforms in the operating environment.

With new technologies continuing to evolve rapidly, Robinson shifted to working with artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and object detection capabilities for flight testing. In fact, her work directly led to co-leading the Rapid AI Modular Integrated Deployable System for testing at NAVAIR, which was designed to reduce development time and costs for unmanned systems by utilizing commercial off-the-shelf hardware.

“The reason why I went into the counter Unmanned Aerial System and Unmanned Underwater Vehicle space is because of a Naval Research Laboratory-funded project that I did during my undergraduate program,” she said. “The purpose of the project was to have these unmanned systems operate autonomously based on machine vision. I was familiar with this technology and it complemented my background, so when this opportunity came around, I just knew I wanted to be involved with it.”

After spending three years at NAVAIR, Robinson became aware of an opening at SSP in Washington, D.C., and joined the command’s Nuclear Weapons Surety Acquisition and Operations Branch in July 2024.

“I initially came here to work in the research and development space in support of counter emergent threats,” she said. “I also wanted to learn more about the acquisition lifecycle with respect to engineering and technical management. Recently, I moved to the acquisition space and am now working more project management – in support of engineering technical management.”

Apart from gaining valuable experience through her jobs, Robinson went back to school and recently completed her master’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Maryland at College Park. According to her, going back to school – as well as some of her past educational experiences – reminded her just how important it is to think differently and to learn intuitively and conceptually.

“I think the engineering curriculum showed me that,” she said. “It’s not all about memorization. Thinking like an engineer is based on building up your toolbox and being able to apply things as you see fit, which helps in the professional world. There is no one-size-fits-all in regards to solving problems – there are so many approaches and solutions that you can add or create; and there are a lot of opportunities for innovation.”

Robinson also shared how pertinent it was to establish a strong working environment with her fellow team members and highlighted the significance in recognizing and leveraging the team’s strengths and weaknesses to effectively manage performance and achieve their goals. She cherishes the responsibility in supporting the Navy’s sea-based strategic deterrent and finds it rewarding to play a role in the weapon system’s success. 

“I enjoy working on mission critical defense systems that directly contribute to operational readiness,” she said. “In my line of work, ensuring the robustness and effectiveness of the electrical security system helps guarantee the safety and operational readiness of these critical assets. This, in turn, provides a vital security guarantee to the warfighter, knowing they are equipped with secure defense systems that are prepared to uphold our national defense. Seeing the impact my work can make in the integration and performance of these systems is something I always appreciate.”

One of Robinson’s favorite things about working at SSP is the command’s strong workplace culture.

“There's a palpable focus on fostering growth, not just in individual skills, but also in building high-performing teams,” she said.  “This commitment to developing people and teams creates a supportive environment where we can all work together to achieve exceptional results.”

Today, Robinson’s work directly supports the Navy’s most lethal weapon system: the Trident D5 Life Extension missile. From building and testing model rockets in high school to supporting the U.S. Navy’s strategic weapon system.

SSP is the Navy command responsible for sustaining the strategic weapon system (SWS) on the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines (SSBN) and supporting the integration of the D5LE weapon system on the new Columbia-class SSBNs. Looking to the future, SSP is actively modernizing the sea-based leg of the nuclear triad through development of the D5LE2 SWS and pioneering regional strike capabilities of the future through development of the nuclear-armed sea launched cruise missile and the non-nuclear hypersonic conventional prompt strike system.