Professional Summary
Professional Overview
Lauren Cooney is an accomplished Director of Software Engineering with a proven track record of leading high-performing teams and driving impactful software solutions. With extensive experience in the aerospace and maritime technology industries, she has developed a deep expertise in complex systems integration, controls engineering, and fault protection.
Experience Summary
Current Role
As the Director of Software Engineering at Saildrone, Lauren is responsible for overseeing the development and deployment of cutting-edge autonomous marine systems. In this role, she leads a team of talented engineers in designing, implementing, and maintaining mission-critical software components that power Saildrone's fleet of uncrewed surface vehicles. Under her guidance, the software engineering division has achieved significant advancements in areas such as real-time data processing, autonomous navigation, and cloud-based fleet management.
Career Progression
Prior to her current position, Lauren held several progressive leadership roles at Saildrone, including Senior Engineering Manager and Engineering Manager for the Vehicle Systems Integration Team. In these roles, she was instrumental in streamlining cross-functional collaboration, optimizing engineering processes, and driving the successful delivery of innovative products.
Lauren's career journey began at Teledyne Webb Research, where she served as a Controls Engineer, and at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where she held positions as a Fault Protection Engineer and Associate Systems Engineer. During her time at these prestigious organizations, she gained invaluable experience in complex system design, integration, and troubleshooting.
Academic Background
Lauren holds a Master's degree in Ocean Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where she also served as a Graduate Researcher at the SeaGrant AUV Lab. She received her Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, San Diego, where she completed an internship at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
Areas of Expertise
- Autonomous system design and integration
- Real-time embedded software development
- Controls engineering and fault protection
- Cross-functional team leadership and collaboration
- Agile software development methodologies
- Project management and stakeholder engagement
Professional Impact
Under Lauren's leadership, the software engineering team at Saildrone has consistently delivered innovative solutions that have significantly advanced the company's capabilities in the uncrewed maritime technology space. Her contributions have been instrumental in enhancing the reliability, efficiency, and performance of Saildrone's fleet, ultimately enabling the company to expand its global operations and drive positive environmental impact through ocean data collection and monitoring.
Conclusion
With her exceptional technical expertise, strong leadership skills, and unwavering commitment to excellence, Lauren Cooney is poised to continue driving transformative change within the maritime technology industry. As the Director of Software Engineering at Saildrone, she is well-positioned to spearhead the development of cutting-edge autonomous systems that will shape the future of ocean exploration and environmental conservation.
