Title: Senior Software Architect
Company: Carnegie Mellon University
Location: McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, United States
Richard J. Malina, senior software architect at Carnegie Mellon University, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Engineers for dedication, achievements, and leadership in information technology (IT).
With over four decades of experience, Mr. Malina has built a successful career in IT, specializing in information technology and real-time embedded software for complex machinery, missiles, and weapons. He currently serves as a senior software architect at the Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, a role he has held since 2021. In this position, he supports development projects for the U.S. Air Force, the Missile Defense Agency, and the U.S. Navy, working on multiple projects and overseeing tier-one vendors. His experience also includes serving as the founding partner, president, and hands-on chief technology officer at Metadynamics Corporation from 1998 to 2021, and as chief technical officer of consulting at ExactShip LLC from 2005 to 2010.
Mr. Malina was the hands-on vice president of engineering at ICOM, Rockwell Software, Rockwell Automation from 1994 to 1998, and co-founder and hands-on vice president of engineering and chief technology officer at Standard Automation and Control, Wonderware West from 1990 to 1994. Earlier in his career, he worked as a senior control systems engineer at Exxon Chemicals’ polymers division from 1988 to 1990, and as vice president of systems engineering, manager of advanced automation, and senior project engineer at Rexnord Automation, TXE Division from 1986 to 1988. He began his career as a senior research engineer at Exxon Research & Engineering from 1981 to 1986.
Mr. Malina has also contributed to the industry as a ghostwriter, authoring approximately 100 white papers, and as co-author of “Naval Open Architecture Machinery Control Systems for Next Generation Integrated Power Systems” in 2012. He is an active member of several organizations, including the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the International Society of Automation. He is a founding member of the Open Platform Communications Foundation, an industry consortium that creates and maintains standards for secure, reliable, and open connectivity in industrial automation systems. He is also a supporter of Tau Beta Pi, as well as LGBTQIA+ and neurodiversity groups at Carnegie Mellon University. Laying a solid educational foundation, he earned a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering, summa cum laude, from the University of Missouri, Columbia, in 1981, where he received the AJ Awards, John R. Slay Scholarship, and Curator Board Scholarship.
Reflecting on his path, Mr. Malina was 10 years old when the moon landing sparked his passion for science and technology. Influenced by his father, who held a master’s degree in chemistry, they shared a love for math and science, making it a natural path for him to pursue. He takes great pride in having contributed to two first-in-class ships, the DDG 1000 USS Zumwalt and LCS 1 USS Freedom. He played a critical role in the builder’s trials for both ships, demonstrating his expertise in propulsion and gas turbine controls. He attributes his success to his genuine care for his missions and his commitment to doing what he believes is right. For him, success is not just about intelligence, but it is about winning people over by pursuing meaningful goals and proving one’s ability through action.
For more information, please visit:
Contact Mr. Malina:
