Finding the Best Solution to the Next Problem: A Q&A with Cindy Miller

Tell us what you're working on these days.

Currently, I'm responsible for our vast contract to provide contingency support for the military. Some of our projects include tornado and hurricane recovery efforts at Navy and Marine Corps installations and various other projects that the military requires expedited construction. The work is extremely high-paced and comprehensive, with our client partnerships being critical to the success of these unique projects. Being able to support the military in a time of crisis is very rewarding to me, and I know that I'm making a difference in the lives of our military members and their families.

What led you to this point on your career path?

I've always loved math, science and "solving the tricky puzzles." My desire to always "make a better mousetrap" led me into STEAM. In high school, I visited the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA), and I immediately realized that it was the school for me as it provided the academic, physical and leadership challenges I desired. I attended USNA and received my Bachelor of Science degree in Ocean Engineering. Upon graduation, I was commissioned in the Navy and served nine years of active duty as a Navy Civil Engineer Corps (CEC) officer. After starting my family, I transferred to the Navy reserves and completed my 20 years of service, retiring in 2010. Although I was able to perform numerous duties in the CEC, I found the most enjoyment in my tours as a project manager in construction.

In January of 2011, I joined Jacobs as a federal project manager. I managed design and energy projects across numerous clients, including the Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and NASA. Between 2011 and 2019, I served as project manager on 110 Design-Build (D-B) Request for Proposals (RFPs) and 20 Design-Bid-Build (D-B-B) projects valued at more than 250 million dollars. Due to my Navy experience, I supported our design teams by providing planning efforts for four new Navy and Marine Corps aviation projects in California and Nevada. In 2016, I became a Manager of Talent, where I supervised 22 project managers.

In 2017, one of my Marine Corps clients was devastated by a series of tornadoes, resulting in significant damage to the installation. This was the beginning of my experience with our Navy Global Contingency Construction (GCC) contract. Since the tornado project, I've served as the capture manager for more than 18 GCC tasks. I've personally engaged in the Hurricane Harvey recovery at Naval Air Station (NAS) Corpus, Hurricane Michael and tornado recovery at Marine Corps Logistics Base (MCLB) Albany, Hurricane Sally recovery at NAS Pensacola, as well as time-sensitive projects at the Navy Philadelphia Shipyard and NAS Pensacola. In 2019, I became the Program Manager for the GCC where I'm responsible for task orders ranging from initial disaster recovery efforts, repair projects associated with recovery efforts and new construction in unique and challenging areas of the world.