Jennifer Boland-Masterson

Jennifer Boland-Masterson oversees production operations for the Boeing Space Launch System (SLS) capability as Director of Production Operations at the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, LA. SLS is NASA’s new heavy-lift rocket that will launch crew and cargo on the journey to the moon, and on to Mars.

Boland-Masterson manages the team building the core stages and Exploration Upper Stage (EUS) for NASA. Boeing is on contract with NASA to design, develop, build and test the cryogenic stages and avionics for the SLS. At MAF, Boeing refurbished the production facility, installing new tooling for affordable, low-rate production of the SLS. Teams are now assembling the rocket for NASA’s first launch, Artemis 1, as well as follow-on launches, Artemis 2 and 3, and are ready to begin building the core stage for Artemis 4.

Construction is also underway to build out the production areas for the EUS, the more powerful upper stage designed for deep space propulsion, leveraging the workforce, resources and facilities now in place for core stage build.

Previously, Boland-Masterson was the superintendent of the 737 program for FD 6 through the ramp. In this role she was responsible for improving employee engagement, compliance and ensuring the team continuously improves safety, quality, cost and performance. It’s also a strength she brings to SLS production.

Boland-Masterson previously served as the superintendent of the 787 mid-body. She led the team through two rate breaks, introduction of the 787-9 and -10, and significant improvements in safety, quality and productivity.

In 2011 Boland-Masterson joined Boeing as a senior manager on 787 final assembly in Charleston, SC. In this role, she helped hire more than 600 mechanics and was responsible for training many of them. Boland-Masterson played a key role in opening the Charleston, S.C. facility and leading the team that delivered the first 787 from the plant.

Prior to joining Boeing, she worked for Vibracoustic, the world’s leading supplier of automotive vibration technology, as a manufacturing and product engineer before holding management positions in manufacturing, program management and operations.

In June 2019, Boland-Masterson received the Silver Snoopy Award from NASA. This Sliver Snoopy Award is a special honor awarded to NASA employees and contractors for their outstanding achievements related to human flight safety or mission success.

In 2020, the SLS Michoud Assembly Facility received the BDS Innovation Factory of the Year Award.

Boland-Masterson has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Purdue University and a master’s in business administration from Indiana University.