Ingrid Sarmiento‘s life mirrors the “Anatomy of Restlessness” described by Bruce Chatwin. Before joining Leonardo‘s Cascina Costa site in Varese,Italy,she lived in numerous locations,becoming a true “citizen of the world.” Currently, she is a Program Manager in the Next Generation Fast Rotorcraft Programs Department, contributing to the NATO military Next Generation Rotorcraft Capabilities (NGRC) program. She also collaborates on projects like the Next Generation Civil Tiltrotor (NGCTR), a research and innovation initiative focused on developing a new-generation tiltrotor, and the EDF European Next generation Rotorcraft Technologies (ENGRT) programme. Additionally, she is a member of the Leonardo’s Sustainability Commitee.

Ingrid holds a degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the polytechnic University of Madrid and specialized in Aerospace Engineering at the University of León. She enhanced her English skills in the United States. Rejecting “the terror of settling,” she contributed to the construction of the grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam project in Ethiopia.

In 2017, Ingrid moved to Italy. As she states,”holding two degrees in the aeronautical and aerospace sectors offered me a wide range of opportunities when looking for a new job.” She immersed herself in the Italian language through books, films, and opera, finding Puccini’s Madame Butterfly particularly helpful. Soon after, she advanced professionally, initially working in data management and business applications. From 2019,she collaborated with Leonardo,focusing on the planning,monitoring,and control of the NGCTR programme. “My formal employment with Leonardo began in 2023, coinciding with greater responsibilities assigned to me within the NGRC project.”

Opportunities at Leonardo

“The broad range of opportunities a company like Leonardo offers: if you are curious, you can explore a great deal and shape a career aligned with your skills.”

Ingrid is the youngest member of a team of five. She values “the broad range of opportunities a company like Leonardo offers: if you are curious, you can explore a great deal and shape a career aligned with your skills.” She also notes, “those passionate about research will find many opportunities here.” In her leisure time, ingrid is an avid reader: “In January alone, I purchased 24 books, some in Italian, others in English and Spanish.” Perhaps, like the characters in Chatwin’s books, Ingrid is ready to continue her travels across the world, this time through literature.