Kayla Ployhar

Kayla Ployhar is an experienced engineer currently serving as an Assembly, Integration and Test Support Engineer at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory since June 2023. Ployhar has held multiple engineering roles, notably as the FSAE Chief Engineer with CU Boulder Racing Team and as a Starship Engineering Intern at SpaceX. Previous internships include mechanical engineering positions at Tendeg, LLC, and participation in NASA's Lucy Student Pipeline and Accelerator Competency Enabler program, where Ployhar took on leadership responsibilities in system requirements and design. With a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Master’s degree in Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical Engineering in progress, Ployhar has also contributed to educational initiatives as a Junior Instructor with BlueStamp Engineering and gained early experience as a NASA High School Intern.