Originally from Puerto Rico, Risselmarie Rivera came to Ingalls to give her family a better quality of life. Nearly two years into her career, she’s an inspiration to shipbuilders looking for a landing spot of opportunity.
“I appreciate coming to work for a place where I can contribute my abilities and achieve personal and professional goals,” said Risselmarie. “Ingalls is proof that this is a country of opportunities if you work for it.”
Risselmarie’s husband and father-in-law are shipbuilders and encouraged her to join the team. She began her career in Human Resources & Administration and quickly transitioned into her current role as a cost estimating analyst. In this position, she supports the post-delivery teams for DDG 123 and DDG 125, creating labor and material cost estimates for manufacturing based on the customer requests.
“Once our proposal is submitted to Contracts & Pricing, they negotiate and make a decision,” she explained. “This generates revenue for the company and also provides stability and financial security for our shipbuilders.”
Through her positivity and networking, Risselmarie’s presence is felt and needed in the shipyard. She helps with language barriers for Spanish-speaking shipbuilders and serves as an active member of the Hispanic Outreach Leadership Alliance (HOLA) employee resource group (ERG).
“I want to be an example of success for other Hispanic shipbuilders,” said Risselmarie. “The ERGs are a great outlet for development opportunities. I will continue to contribute and help everyone reach their full potential.”
Risselmarie is an example of inspirational women in the workforce. It wasn’t easy, but she’s grateful for her journey and is excited for what’s to come in the future.
“My achievements have been the results of preparation, perseverance and engagement,” said Risselmarie. “I encourage everyone to get involved, believe in yourself and find your purpose in order to be successful at Ingalls.”