Joseph R. Schuyler
Stennis Space Center Deputy Director
Contents
Joe Schuyler serves as the deputy director of NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. He is responsible, with the center director, for coordinating all of NASA Stennis’ rocket propulsion test capabilities, as well as managing the NASA Stennis site.
Experience
Schuyler’s career started as an officer in the Marine Corps, where he led Supply and Logistics activities at the 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. After leaving the Marine Corps in 1998, Schuyler pursued graduate degrees in both business and engineering. He applied his leadership, engineering, and business skills at Ford Motor Company and then Visteon Automotive as a manufacturing superintendent. Schuyler later assumed a position as the engineering manager for two manufacturing plants in Mississippi.
In 2006, Schuyler transitioned to Lockheed Martin at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans as a systems engineer. There, he helped restart manufacturing and assembly processes that incorporated design enhancements to the external tank in the wake of the shuttle Columbia Return to Flight activities. Shortly thereafter, he took on the challenge of being the systems engineering manager in charge of the mission support room activity at Michoud. Schuyler led activities in support of external tank delivery, integration, launch, and post-flight analyses.
In 2010, Schuyler transitioned to civil service as deputy chief of Systems Engineering at NASA Stennis, where he led the implementation of Systems Engineering tools and practices in support of all propulsion test projects. Prior to his selection of deputy center director, he served as the deputy director and then director of the Engineering and Test Directorate, managing and executing the center’s major lines of business in propulsion test and technology. In this role, Schuyler led his team through activities that supported NASA programs, commercial efforts, and academia in the advancement of the nation’s spaceflight capabilities. Efforts spanned propulsion test projects, maintenance, modernization, Construction of Facility, and technology development and transfer projects. Notably, Schuyler has led a concerted effort to continuously improve and transform the test enterprise at NASA Stennis to provide value to NASA and ensure future sustainability.
Awards
Schuyler has been honored with several distinguished awards in recognition of his outstanding contributions and leadership at NASA Stennis. He received the NASA Special Act Award (Senior Executive Service) for his pivotal role in leading transformative initiatives aimed at creating a more sustainable future for the center. Additionally, Schuyler was presented with the NASA Special Act or Service Award for his exceptional performance in the development and implementation of the System Engineering and Project Management Leadership Development Program.
His dedication to the external tank project and the Space Shuttle Program was further recognized with the NASA Group Achievement Award, specifically for his service in resolving the STS-127 Ground Umbilical Carrier Panel Hydrogen leak. Beyond these honors, Schuyler has also earned numerous On-the-Spot and other Group Achievement awards, reflecting his continued commitment and excellence in advancing NASA’s mission.
Education
Schuyler earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1993. He also holds two master’s degrees from Cornell University – a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Engineering in operations research and industrial engineering.
Personal
Schuyler is a native of Newburgh, New York, and resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, with his wife, Michelle. They have two daughters.