Meet Nelson: soccer pro turned Boeing engineer and leader

A former player for the Charleston Battery, Nelson is now part of a different team in the Charleston area: the Interiors Responsibility Center South Carolina (IRCSC). As the IRCSC director, Nelson oversees a multi-functional team of hundreds of teammates, which manufactures, assembles and delivers a wide range of interior products to the 787 program and Global Services aftermarket customers.

On any given day, you can find Nelson walking the IRCSC production floor and encouraging teammates as he did on the soccer field.

“I’ll take the time to meet with teammates one-on-one and make sure they are checked in and feeling safe,” Nelson said.

Nelson knows how impactful leadership engagement can be. After retiring from professional soccer, he returned to school at the University of California, Los Angeles. There, he received another coaching lesson. Now-retired Boeing Chief Technology Officer Dr. John Tracy encouraged Nelson to challenge himself and align himself with teammates who shared his drive for innovation and success.

That advice left a lasting impression. Nelson earned a bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree in engineering – all while working as a materials and process engineer at Boeing. His dissertation, “Environmental Effects on a Protective Coating Used to Mitigate Composite Degradation,” has added to the aerospace industry’s knowledge of composite materials, which are being used more and more in airplane structures like the 787 Dreamliner. Additionally, he’s filed several invention disclosures and holds two patents.

The National Society of Black Engineers recently named Nelson the 2022 Pioneer of the Year and 2022 Distinguished Engineer of the Year. He expressed gratitude to the mentors and coaches who guided him.

"I’m grateful for the leaders who not only recommended me but have been a part of my journey as a young engineer to where I am now,” Nelson said. “I’m just excited to represent The Boeing Company and to know the platform I’ve been provided has given me the opportunity to be recognized with these awards.”