Zachary Guyton was drawn to the Army because he wanted to be part of something bigger than himself. Although he is retired from military service, his work at GTRI allows him to continue serving the same mission. 

“To be able to continue to serve the country, the Department of Defense, and our brothers and sisters in arms, that's a big part of why I really enjoy working at GTRI,” Guyton said. “We're still in the fight.” 

Guyton spent 13 years in the Army after completing ROTC at the University of North Georgia. During that time, he served as an infantry officer and company commander, deploying to Afghanistan, Kuwait, and South Korea. Eventually, his military career led him to human factors and engineering psychology, a field focused on designing technology and systems around the people who use them. Human factors became a career he could take outside the military.  

In 2023, after participating in GTRI’s Hiring Our Heroes internship, Guyton joined the organization’s Human Systems Engineering Branch as a research scientist. The group applies human systems integration and human-factors methods to improve how operators interact with complex defense systems. About a year later, he became branch head. 

Guyton is motivated by being able to support the nation's defense, tackle complex technical challenges, and work with mission-driven colleagues. 

“I really enjoy the idea and the principle of making things work well for humans, whether that's from a perspective of performance, safety, or satisfaction,” he said. “I'm challenged every day to work together with my teammates to solve complex problems. That's very rewarding.”