Matt Huffman, Expeditionary Power and Energy Team Lead

Matt Huffman, Expeditionary Power and Energy Team Lead

By Brittny Odoms, NSWC Carderock Division Public Affairs

WEST BETHESDA, Md - Family influence and hands-on hobbies shaped Matt Huffman's early interest in engineering, eventually steering him toward mechanical engineering. Today, Huffman serves as a team lead for the Expeditionary and Developmental Power and Energy Branch at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division.

A team lead at Carderock since roughly 2020, Huffman manages a wide range of duties, oversight of financial health and proposal development to sponsor engagement and technical guidance in expeditionary power and energy.

"In our case, expeditionary power and energy is often in support of the Marines," Huffman said. "[They operate] forward deployed, not able to connect to infrastructure for their power, but [we] also [work on] expeditionary Naval projects like subsea unmanned systems operations and how you sustain those from an energy perspective."

Huffman said team leads often split their time between technical work, program management and internal coordination, which includes training new employees, and overseeing facility and knowledge management efforts. Balancing technical expertise with leadership responsibilities that directly support Warfighter needs provides the most rewarding part of his job.

"You'll have one foot in technical matters and another foot doing business development and financial health of your technical area," Huffman said. "It's quite a bit to balance, but that's what makes it fun, engaging and rewarding."

Huffman began his career at Carderock in 2009 as an engineer after graduating from the University of Maryland with a bachelor's in mechanical engineering. He first learned about the command at a university career fair and was later invited to tour the facility.

"I had no idea Carderock existed," Huffman said. "But I came out for a lab tour and found it exciting and intriguing enough that I said, 'Yeah, that's something I'd like to do.'"

Before joining Carderock, Huffman completed three summer internships at Naval Air Station Patuxent River while in his undergraduate studies. There, he worked with power and propulsion systems, including a project designing a nitrogen purge system for a rotor section spin test chamber.

"I was really interested in wrenching and working on cars," Huffman said. "That got me more interested in the mechanical route."

Huffman noted that one of the most important aspects of his career has been the ability to grow within the same organization while taking on new responsibilities and watching the command evolve. Carderock's expanding mission areas led to multiple reorganizations and branch splits as demand for power and energy expertise increased across the Navy and Marine Corps.

Despite the changes, Huffman remained in the same technical community while taking advantage of rotational assignments, including a yearlong tour at the Pentagon during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Outside of work, Huffman is an avid motorsports enthusiast who participates in autocross, rallycross, hill climbs, time attack events and motorcycle track days. He has competed in competitive racing since about 2007.

"I'm a pretty big motorhead," Huffman said.

He also enjoys rock climbing, primarily indoors but occasionally outdoors when opportunities arise.

For engineers entering the command, Huffman encouraged taking advantage of rotational opportunities and building professional networks across the Navy and Department of Defense.

"Don't skip your opportunities to do rotations," said Huffman. "You may be hired here, but the network you build and people you meet throughout your career can position you for a lot of different paths."

After nearly two decades with the organization, Huffman said the people and mission continue to motivate him. Watching technologies transition from development to fleet remains one of the most rewarding parts of the job.

"I am humbled by the intelligence and knowledge of Carderock's people, particularly my home team, and have immense respect for what the people of Carderock deliver in support of our Warfighters," Huffman said. "Every day I come into work, I learn something new. I'm in awe of what people bring to the table and the capabilities they're developing for the Warfighter."