Michael Mercado

Managed 5 concurrent client programs for Boeing (MQ-28, E-7) and Hermeus, maintaining integrated risk/issue logs, escalating critical path risks, and tracking KPIs for executive reporting. Delivered 40% engineering efficiency gains. Contributed to new business proposals and SOW development supporting pipeline growth.

Led cross-functional MBSE programs for Northrop, developing integrated master schedules, budgets, and project definitions. Mentored junior engineers to 95% tool adoption in 3 months. Delivered 15% scope reduction and 25% faster completion through client workshops and risk-driven milestone tracking.

Led requirements decomposition and traceability for defense systems programs using MBSE tools including DOORS and SysML. Coordinated system-level reviews and interface control documentation across engineering teams. Supported program milestone planning and risk tracking to ensure on-schedule delivery of technical baselines.

Applied Lean Six Sigma methodologies to streamline manufacturing workflows, reducing process cycle time by 15%. Supported cross-functional teams in requirements analysis, data collection, and root cause analysis for production inefficiencies. Developed process documentation and standard work instructions to improve operational consistency across program teams.

AWS certification validating foundational knowledge of AI/ML services, generative AI, and responsible AI practices on the AWS platform.

Foundational AWS certification covering cloud concepts, core services, security, architecture, pricing, and support models.

Industry-recognized cybersecurity certification covering network security, threats, vulnerabilities, compliance, and identity management aligned with DoD 8570.

SAFe 5 certification for Product Owner/Product Manager roles within Agile Release Trains, covering backlog management, PI planning, and cross-team alignment.

Graduate degree focused on systems engineering principles applied to space and aerospace platforms, including mission design, modeling, and cross-disciplinary engineering integration.

Lean Six Sigma certification focused on process improvement, waste reduction, and data-driven operational efficiency in program delivery.

Entry-level PMI certification validating foundational project management knowledge and methodology.

Undergraduate degree in industrial engineering with focus on operations research, process optimization, systems analysis, and data-driven decision-making.