NUWC Division, Keyport Employee Spotlight: Colton Crist

Sustaining our warfighting advantage requires a dedicated team of experts committed to Fleet readiness. Among these experts is Colton Crist, an electronics engineering lead and on-site installation coordinator for shipboard navigational sensor equipment at Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport.

"Colton consistently demonstrates exceptional technical expertise, professionalism and leadership," said his team lead. His ability to coordinate complex installations, solve problems under pressure, and work effectively with both ship's force and technical teams has earned him the respect of his peers and leadership alike. Colton is someone the team can rely on to deliver quality work while maintaining a positive and collaborative attitude."

Colton was born and raised in the small town of Lolo, Montana, located just outside Missoula. His grandfather, an engineer who had worked on Mars rover projects, instilled in him a passion for figuring out how things work. After finishing high school, Colton completed a two-year church mission in Cusco, Peru, followed by a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from Montana State University.

During his senior year, he helped build an autonomous underwater submarine from the ground up for a competition in California, a project sponsored by NUWC Division, Keyport. In 2016, Colton was hired to work in the command’s Undersea Systems and Sustainment Engineering Department, and he has since proven himself to be an invaluable member of his team.

In his current position, Colton serves as a vital liaison during equipment rip-outs and installations. His work directly supports the first and second Naval Sea Systems Command Enterprise Strategy Lines of Effort: “Accelerate Force Generation” and “Generate Readiness.”

Outside of work, Colton loves snowshoeing, fly fishing, mountain biking, reading science fiction and spending time with his wife of five years—a former welder at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility—and their two young children. He also enjoys making chocolate from scratch, a hobby he picked up after visiting cocoa farms in Belize.