Women Who Engineer: Samantha Hamilton, VP of AI, Heven AeroTech

Samantha Hamilton is VP of AI at Heven AeroTech, a company working at the frontier of autonomy, AI, and hydrogen propulsion in unmanned systems.  

We sat down with Samantha as part of our Women in Stem campaign which spotlights women shaping the future of advanced engineering across the United States. 

You didn't plan to end up in defence technology. How did you get here? 

"I started my career as an intern at NuWave Solutions doing full stack software engineering. I did not have the full technical toolkit at that point, and I was fairly aware of it. What I did have was a willingness to sit with a problem I did not understand yet, and the drive to do my research and learn how to solve it. That turned out to be the thing that mattered most. I never planned a career in defense technology. I followed the problems that were interesting to me, learned what each one required, and those problems eventually led here. Looking back, curiosity did more navigating for me than any career plan would have." 

What shaped the way you lead? 

"I ran Heven's pilot internship program because I was that intern. Someone gave me real work before I felt ready for it, and that is what moved me forward. That was the baseline for how I structured the nature of our internship programs. Interns get problems that matter and support along every step, rather than tasks invented to keep them busy. What I see in almost every one of our interns is the same: people who are more capable than they believe they are. That gap between actual ability and perceived ability shows up often in the women I work with. I have watched great engineers talk themselves out of — and then back into — work they were already qualified to do. Certainty is not a prerequisite; it's something you build by doing the work and being consistent." 

What is it like working at the frontier of autonomy, AI, and hydrogen in unmanned systems? 

"The technology we are working on is new. The combination of autonomy, AI, and hydrogen fuel in unmanned systems are all being figured out in real time, both across the industry and inside my company. If you are waiting until you feel like an expert before you apply, you are waiting on a field that doesn't actually have many experts yet — and that expert could be you. Heven AeroTech is growing, our problems are challenging, and the people who excel here are the ones who are curious about the problem and ready for a learning journey." 

What does technical leadership look like at Heven and what would you say to someone earlier in their career? 

"One crucial difference at Heven: women hold technical leadership roles across the company - CTO, CFO, VP of Hydrogen, VP of Contracts. What I would say to anyone earlier in their career, particularly anyone who has not seen themselves represented in a room like this, is that this industry is evolving and bringing genuine opportunities. Heven is hiring across engineering, AI, hydrogen, and operations, and I would encourage anyone interested to check out our openings." 

About Heven AeroTech 

Heven AeroTech designs and manufactures long-endurance unmanned aerial systems for defense, public safety, and commercial missions. From its Sterling, Virginia headquarters, the company develops hydrogen-powered VTOL aircraft with AI-enabled autonomy, built for operations where conventional platforms fall short. For open roles, visit hevenaerotech.com.  

About Women in STEM 

Women in STEM is Fruition Group's ongoing series spotlighting women shaping the future of advanced engineering in the United States. Every feature is an honest conversation about careers, challenges, and the work that matters. If you would like to nominate someone for a future spotlight, get in touch via our LinkedIn page.