Marie E. Bussiere is a member of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition) Chief Engineer team supporting Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) strategic goals and objectives. Ms. Bussiere provides technical and management direction of senior scientists, engineers and managers who perform and manage science and technology and RDT&E for Navy Digital Transformation to maximize agility, interoperability, reusability and scalability across the enterprise. Ms. Bussiere provides senior level leadership to transform the culture and workforce to adopt the tools, processes, methods, training, and collaborative environments necessary for Naval Digital Engineering across the lifecycle. She is the recipient of the Department of the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award.
Ms. Bussiere performed as the Department Head for the Undersea Warfare (USW) Combat Systems Department from May 2012 through September 2021. In this position, she was responsible for planning, directing, and conducting a full spectrum program for submarine combat systems. She led approximately 625 scientists, engineers, and staff personnel conducting applied research; exploratory and advanced development; systems analysis, design, engineering, and acquisition; test and evaluation; logistics engineering; fleet introduction; and in-service engineering support. She is the recipient of the 2014 Providence Business News Business Women Award for Outstanding Mentor, 2016 NAVSEA Warfare Center Newport Excellence in Teaming Award, 2019 Commander/Technical Director Award, 2019 John C. Mickey Award for Collaboration – Live, Virtual, Constructive (LVC) Modeling and Simulation, 2020 Naval Sea Systems Command Innovation Award for Live Virtual Constructive, and 2021 NAVSEA Warfare Center Newport Excellence in Technical Innovation for Live Virtual Constructive.
Ms. Bussiere performed as the Department of the Navy (DON) Modeling and Simulation (M&S) Office Executive (Acting) from October 2020 through March 2021, leading the Navy’s M&S enterprise-wide efforts as a national expert in M&S. Ms. Bussiere possesses expert scientific and technical knowledge of Threat Engineering, Digital Modeling, Mission level modeling and simulation, and Mission engineering and analysis. Ms. Bussiere provided support to the development and alignment of policy to promote synchronized use of M&S capabilities throughout the DON supporting Enterprise and Service level requirements and the reuse of M&S capabilities.
Ms. Bussiere performed as the Technical Director (Acting) of Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Newport from November 2017 through January 2018.
Ms. Bussiere assumed the leadership of the Platform and Payload Integration Department (Acting) from March through September 2017. The Platform and Payload Integration Department’s mission is to provide full spectrum life-cycle technical leadership and knowledge base for submarine missile/payload integration, and USW launcher systems. The Department’s expertise is conducting scientific research, modeling and simulation, test and evaluation, technology development, concept/advanced development, engineering/ operational systems development, systems training, and in-service engineering functions including system alteration, modernization and upgrade.
Ms. Bussiere began her career as a co-op student at the Newport Naval Base in 1988 as an engineering technician in the Trident Command and Control Systems Maintenance Activity. She earned a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Electrical Engineering in 1991 from the University of Rhode Island (URI), a Master’s of Business Administration from Salve Regina University in 2000 and received a diploma from the Naval War College for coursework in 2000 in the areas of Strategy and Policy, National Security Decision Making, and Joint Maritime Operations as well as Joint Professional Military Education Phase I Certification. Ms. Bussiere also earned a Cybersecurity Fundamentals certificate from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA.
Throughout her 34-year career at NUWC Division Newport, Ms. Bussiere has held a variety of leadership positions, including Head of the Undersea Weapons Acquisition and Life Cycle Engineering Division within the Torpedo Systems Department, Head of the Logistics Product Development Branch within the Undersea Warfare Combat Systems Department, and Royal Australian Navy Replacement Combat System Lead System Engineer. She is also Division Newport’s Logistics Career Field Manager for the Naval Acquisition Development Program and NAVSEA’s LVC M&S Knowledge Point Champion.