Ginger Hawkersmith has over 25 years of experience in software quality assurance, testing, project management, and systems engineering. She currently works as a QA Project Test Engineer for Siemens PLM Software, where she develops and executes tests to ensure software meets requirements. Previously, she worked for various defense contractors such as SAIC, DRS Technologies, and QTEC, providing quality engineering, requirements management, and process improvement services for projects involving military aircraft, avionics, and weapons systems.

1. Ginger Hawkersmith - Huntsville, AL - (256) 975-6864 - gingerhawkersmith@gmail.com
Areas of Expertise:
Software Quality, Testing & Integration
Process Improvement, Project & Data Management, Logistics
Requirements Management, Configuration/Change Management, Systems Engineering
Industries: Department of Defense (DoD), Aerospace, Automotive & Commercial
WORK EXPERIENCE:
Siemens PLM Software -Huntsville, AL February 2015 – current
QA Project Test Engineer - Advanced
Provide software evaluation and testing in support of engineering design products and the Product Data
Management (PDM) software tools. Provide oversight of assigned software projects throughout the life
cycle and ensure Certification of software releases prior to customer delivery.
• Develop and execute tests to ensure functionality meets product requirements. Ensure product
performs properly on supported hardware, licenses and within multiple operating systems.
• Adhere to software engineering principles, methods and tools within an Agile framework.
• Participate with all stakeholders during design, code reviews, testing and release.
• Analyze requirements and software design documents to create software testing specifications.
• Create and maintain software problem reports, identify root cause and create test cases.
• Support customers during beta testing and record customer feedback and future enhancements.
Submit problem reports on issues identified during beta testing and escalate for quick resolution.
• Provide training/materials and coach teams on best practices to implement Visual Studio and TFS
2015 into the Testing Strategy with Scrum and CMMI. Research and evaluate new tools for
possible integration (examples: Server Monitoring, Cloud, improved file sharing).
• Maintain Servers & Tools: Teamcenter, SharePoint, MS Office, Solid Edge CAD and Product
Data Management (PDM), Visual Studio Team Foundation Server (TFS) 2013
SAIC – AMRDEC/Software Engineering Directorate (SED) - Redstone Arsenal, AL
November 2013 – February 2015
Software Quality Engineer/CMMI Specialist
Army Aviation software design and test center, supporting Rotary Aircraft (UH-60, CH-47 and AH-64).
Ensure quality assurance. Recommend process improvement. Maintain quality on multiple projects within
an Agile framework (Scrum). Extensive knowledge of software development life cycles, testing,
integration and acceptance.
• Lead quality assurance tasks for multiple projects and deliverables. Monitored schedules, cost,
risk mitigation, change control, testing (informal/formal) and release management.
• Analyze requirements from customer specifications, statement of work (SOW) and interface
design documents (ICDs). Ensure requirements are clearly defined, traceable and testable.
• Contributor to the Test and Evaluation Management Plan (TEMP) to ensure successful IV&V.
• Responsible, as an independent agent for the customer (Government) reporting Independent
Verification and Validation (IV&V) results. Ensured system requirements were met and
successful completion of IV&V test scenarios to allow development to move forward to formal
acceptance testing. Witnessed final qualification testing (FQT) in Avionics lab.
• Witnessed the system integration of components of each Aircraft, Weapons, Electronics (AWE)
Computer Software Configuration Item (CSCI).
• Ensure information assurance (IA) and any safety issues are resolved.
• Peer review and authorize software project, quality and testing plans.
• Manage the delivery of the Technical Data Package (TDP) to the customer.
• Verify the Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM) for completeness and functionality coverage.
• Provide input to process improvement areas to ensure quality and release readiness.
• Participate in code and document peer reviews, planning meetings and milestone reviews.
• Perform project audits during each phase of the life-cycle and report findings to the Government
• Participate in installs/builds of software projects.
• Participate in Configuration Control Board (CCB) meetings for change authorization.
• Report status to QA Manager, Software Leads and Government leads. Represent the customer.
Dec 2015 1

2. Ginger Hawkersmith - Huntsville, AL - (256) 975-6864 - gingerhawkersmith@gmail.com
QTEC, Inc. - Huntsville, AL
October 2012 – November 2013 (1 year contract assignment)
Systems Engineering/Technical Specialist IV
Provide support to U.S. Army PEO Aviation – Aircraft Survivability Equipment (ASE) Sensors group.
Decompose classified requirements (hardware and software) and analyze impacts to the development
lifecycle and ensure requirements traceability.
• Developed multiple project documents to include specifications and statement of work.
• Contributor to the Test and Evaluation Management Plan (TEMP) to plan testing activities
accordingly and to ensure successful IV&V.
• Participated in management and team reviews to ensure clear requirements.
• Provided input to system architecture models for creation of UML models.
• Ensured traceable requirements maintained in the DOORS database.
• Managed customer needs to contractual requirements.
• Track issues and ensure risk mitigation to avoid cost and/or schedule impacts.
• Ensure compliancy to industry and military standards for aircraft avionics, safety and equipment
certification (including ARINC 429, MIL-STD-1553, DIACAP/RMF, RTCA/DO-178/200).
• Tools: Microsoft Office Suite, DOORS (Requirements Management), CORE (SysML)
• Accessed data via SIPRNet. Tools: Microsoft Suite, DOORS, CORE
FedEx World Headquarters – Collierville, TN
April 2012 – October 2012 (job change due to opportunity at home location)
Senior Business Applications Analyst
Supporting Information Technology (IT) Services group. Ensured quality assurance for the life-cycle of
the project/product releases in a fast-paced environment supporting world-wide software systems.
• Coordinated with business partners to identify customer needs/requirements
• Ensured change and configuration management for baselines.
• Managed integration and testing before packaging and delivery to end-user.
• Member of the data disaster recovery team.
• Performed quality assurance audits and lead code reviews.
• Maintain and modify standard reporting from Business Objects and Salesforce.com on a daily,
weekly and monthly basis.
• Tools: TOAD/ORACLE, HP Quality, Microsoft Office Suite, SalesForce
Self-Employed - Winchester, TN 37398
July 2010 – March 2012 (2-year assignment)
Operations Manager
• Set up point-of-sale (POS) computer network/printer systems.
• Database and security administrator.
• Create marketing materials and website design.
• Customer service manager.
• Generated payroll (average 15 employees).
• Responsible for hiring/firing in regulation to state laws.
• Performed business accounting tasks (daily sales, balance sheets, taxes and licenses).
• Created company policies and documents and trained employees.
• Ensured industry regulations and safety requirements adhered.
Dec 2015 2

3. Ginger Hawkersmith - Huntsville, AL - (256) 975-6864 - gingerhawkersmith@gmail.com
DRS Technologies - Huntsville, AL
May 2007 – June 2010 (restructured group lay-offs)
Software Quality Assurance
Supporting U.S. Army’s Heavy Brigade Combat team and the Condition-Based Reliability Assessment
(COBRA) program. Providing Automated Testing Equipment (ATE), Embedded Diagnostics, and
Condition-Based Maintenance. Responsible for project monitoring and controlling of software
development, implementation, verification/validation during all lifecycles within CMMI/Agile.
• Monitored sprints, reviews and risks for project releases.
• Audit suppliers for quality assurance and compliance
• Ensured software requirements maintained in DOORS through traceability matrix documents.
• Developed project documents and plans for contract deliverables (CDRLs).
• Ensured adherence to military, industry standards and business rules.
• Supported project managers during reviews and releases.
• Active role on configuration control board (CCB).
• Provided monthly project status and metrics to quality and systems engineering managers.
• Witness formal acceptance testing (on-vehicle/end-item and test lab environments).
• Managed failure reports/defects and follow-up activities.
• Assisted in writing test plans, test scripts/cases.
• Validated build process of compiled projects before release.
Chrysler/Pentastar – DaimlerChrysler – Siemens – Continental – Huntsville, AL
Defense & Commercial Automotive Electronics
October 1992 – May 2007
(continuous employment – company mergers)
Process, Methods, Tools & Quality (PMTQ) Manager
Automotive Electronics - Managed implementation of corporate initiative (CarBody electronics group) for
new processes, methods, tools and quality infrastructure within U.S., Mexico and Germany.
• Major contributor in the achievement of a CMMi Level 3/5 rating.
• Report actual hours against estimates using Earned Value Management (EVM).
• Responsible for software quality at multiple locations; Huntsville, AL - Auburn Hills, MI
and Juarez, Mexico. Reported to world-wide Quality manager.
• Software integration with colleagues in U.S., Germany, France, Romania and Mexico.
• Provided training to engineering groups to ensure effective roll-out of new processes, methods,
tools for quality assurance.
• Conducted weekly project reviews with engineering managers and software leads.
• Statused design, architecture, requirements, coding, testing, release, schedules, risks, safety-
critical and cost metrics for embedded software projects.
• Coached and provided training for users: DOORS (requirements management), CM Synergy
(change/configuration management), Statemate (modeling, prototyping and testing), SharePoint
(content management).
• Responsible for the purchased, installation and maintenance of software license for development
tools, hardware tools, compilers and debuggers for multiple microcontrollers.
• Validate Enterprise Resource Planning (SAP-ERP) entries for Product Lifecycle Management
(PLM) and Supply Chain Management (SCM) for advanced product quality planning, release and
manufacturing.
Configuration Management (CM) Lead
• Managed personnel (Union/management) and provided performance reviews, roadmaps and goals.
• Developed/provided training to engineering teams.
• Controlled technical data packages for accurate and timely release of bill of materials (BOMs),
drawings, specifications, standards, vendor/part number data, software files and part failures.
Dec 2015 3

4. Ginger Hawkersmith - Huntsville, AL - (256) 975-6864 - gingerhawkersmith@gmail.com
• Coordinated corporate engineering databases for successful builds and production of multiple
configurations/vehicle model years.
• Maintained configuration control databases, workflow program and reporting systems (via Visual
Basic, Access, Crystal reporting tools).
• Coordinated printed circuit board (PCB) files from designers (AutoCAD/Pro-E) workstations for
fabrication.
• Reviewed product specifications and standards. Supervised production part approval process
(PPAP) packages.
Logistics Database Manager
• Supported Logistics Element Managers (LEMs) and Integrated Logistics Support Management
Teams (ILSMT) during acquisition and sustainment tasks.
• Managed the Logistics Support Analysis (LSA) tasks and databases supporting multiple
configurations for the U.S. military and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contracts.
• Logistics Support Activity (LOGSA) database updates, reports for customer reviews.
• Repair Parts & Special Tools Lists (RPSTL) and Maintenance Allocation Charts (MAC).
• Provided support for Interactive Electronic Technical Manuals (IETM). Adherence to applicable
standards and specifications; i.e. MIL-STD-1388-1A/2B (MIL-HDBK-502), MIL-HDBK-881.
• Provided multiple reports via SQL.
• Maintained software code using Visual Basic, Cobol, Fortran and Assembler languages.
• Maintained commercial software and government-provided software.
• Assisted in proposal efforts (tasks and costs).
General Electric – Military & Aerospace
October 1979 – October 1992
Multiple roles and locations: Houston, TX (JSC-NASA) -Huntsville, AL - Daytona Beach, FL
Program Control Specialist
• Responsible for the management information system (MIS) database in support of the Space
Shuttle (Life Sciences) program as prime contractor to NASA.
• Compiled engineering data, project descriptions, schedules and cost information.
• Maintained databases and schedules during CCBs and reviews.
Technical Publications Lead
• Supervised Technical Publications group (illustrators, technical writers and word processors).
• Performed employee performance reviews and work assignments to team.
• Ensured necessary tools available to perform job tasks.
• Maintained work break-down structures (WBS), dictionaries and cost-to-completes.
• Participated in program reviews and status of mission planning activities.
• Interfaced with management, accounting and support engineering.
• Maintained control room board status of major milestones against cost, schedule and risk.
• Technical editor for proposals, specifications, technical manuals, policies and presentations.
• Provided formal training to users on corporate systems.
• Developed tracking system for incoming work requests.
Logistics Database Specialist
• Logistics engineering database manager for multiple configurations.
• Generated and coordinated data required for deliverables and customer reviews.
• Developed software code per customer requirements.
• Site Administrator in support of end-item at NAS, Patuxent River, Maryland.
• Tracked system issues and managed technical manual changes.
Dec 2015 4

5. Ginger Hawkersmith - Huntsville, AL - (256) 975-6864 - gingerhawkersmith@gmail.com
EDUCATION:
Bachelor of Science (BS) - Computer Information Systems (CIS) October 7, 1995, Dean’s List
Columbia College 1001 Rogers Street, Columbia Missouri 65216
Project Management Professional (PMP) Member #437907 (since 2006)
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification (provided by Siemens & Arizona State University (ASU) 2006
Defense Acquisition University (DAU) Systems Engineering - March 2013
Agile for Teams training by cPrime, Inc. – June 2015
Scrum Master certified (SMC) – Nov 2015
SECURITY CLEARANCE:
Security Clearance – SECRET - (last active Feb 2015)
REFERENCES:
Michael Cowger, President EagleView Consulting
17 Lincoln Way, Buckhannon, WV 26201
(256) 682-1075, mcowger@hiwaay.net
Jesse Miller, Rockwell Collins, Sr. Engineering Manager, Flight Test & System Validation
420 Jan Davis Drive, Huntsville, AL 35806 and Cedar Rapids, Iowa
jesse.miller@rockwellcollins.com
Julie Poole, Redstone Arsenal, Bldg 6264, SED/AMPS Government SW Technical Lead
(256) 874-2722
Dr. Tim Young, Systems Engineering, PEO Aviation, Aircraft Survivability Equipment (ASE), Sensors
(321) 431-9499, tyoung121@gmail.com
Previous Supervisor:
QTEC, Shelly Harris, Systems Engineering
PEO Aviation, Aircraft Survivability Equipment (ASE), Sensors Group
(256) 975-1975, Shelly.Harris@peoavn.army.mil
Dec 2015 5

6. Ginger Hawkersmith - Huntsville, AL - (256) 975-6864 - gingerhawkersmith@gmail.com
EDUCATION:
Bachelor of Science (BS) - Computer Information Systems (CIS) October 7, 1995, Dean’s List
Columbia College 1001 Rogers Street, Columbia Missouri 65216
Project Management Professional (PMP) Member #437907 (since 2006)
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification (provided by Siemens & Arizona State University (ASU) 2006
Defense Acquisition University (DAU) Systems Engineering - March 2013
Agile for Teams training by cPrime, Inc. – June 2015
Scrum Master certified (SMC) – Nov 2015
SECURITY CLEARANCE:
Security Clearance – SECRET - (last active Feb 2015)
REFERENCES:
Michael Cowger, President EagleView Consulting
17 Lincoln Way, Buckhannon, WV 26201
(256) 682-1075, mcowger@hiwaay.net
Jesse Miller, Rockwell Collins, Sr. Engineering Manager, Flight Test & System Validation
420 Jan Davis Drive, Huntsville, AL 35806 and Cedar Rapids, Iowa
jesse.miller@rockwellcollins.com
Julie Poole, Redstone Arsenal, Bldg 6264, SED/AMPS Government SW Technical Lead
(256) 874-2722
Dr. Tim Young, Systems Engineering, PEO Aviation, Aircraft Survivability Equipment (ASE), Sensors
(321) 431-9499, tyoung121@gmail.com
Previous Supervisor:
QTEC, Shelly Harris, Systems Engineering
PEO Aviation, Aircraft Survivability Equipment (ASE), Sensors Group
(256) 975-1975, Shelly.Harris@peoavn.army.mil
Dec 2015 5