Dr. Sandra Hobson was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in 2014 as a Deputy Director in the Office of the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E), within the Office of the Secretary of Defense. She is currently responsible for defining and executing strategic initiatives, and supporting the development of policy and guidance to meet the test and evaluation demands of the future as the complexity of Department of Defense weapons systems and multi-domain operational environments evolve. Dr. Hobson was selected to perform the duties of the DOT&E Principal Deputy Director from January 20 to December 19, 2021.

Prior to this appointment, Dr. Hobson supported DOT&E in two other capacities: first as a Research Staff Member at the Institute for Defense Analyses and then as an Aircraft Systems and Weapons Staff Specialist. During these tenures, she provided technical oversight of test and evaluation programs to enable adequate assessments of the survivability and lethality of a subset of Department of Defense aircraft and weapons acquisition programs.

Dr. Hobson earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from the United States Naval Academy and her Doctor of Philosophy degree in Aerospace Engineering from A. James Clark School of Engineering at University of Maryland. Dr. Hobson is a recipient of the National Fellowship for Exceptional Researcher awarded by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and two Secretary of Defense Medals for Meritorious Civilian Service.