Sde offers Booze Allen, Raytheon, Lockhead

Amazon
bruhTripin

Go to company page Amazon

bruhTripin
Apr 11, 2021 29 Comments

Got offers for SDE roles at Booze Allen, Lockheed, Raytheon and a few others. Have a lot of reasons why I am switching overall never intended to stay here. Just here for the experience. All offers are higher some by a little others by a good bit with locations significantly cheaper to live than seattle. With talks as soon as my Top Secret goes through I will have more negotiation power.

Trying to get some in site to some of these companies in areas of concern.

- Can I trust any of these companies? When they say they will reactivate my prior military clearances and not put me on the bench trying to force me into something else?

- Heard mixed things about work life balance. Is it 40-50 hour weeks r 70-90 hour weeks?

- If I don’t like my location etc is it easy to switch? Or will managers try to block you like at Amazon?

- Overall are people civil and work together r is it cut throat etc?

Any information would be great seems to be very difficult to find information from a sde perspective and not consultants etc.

Not listing TC bc it shouldn’t matter for my questions. I don’t care to live in shitty high cost of living areas with shitty work culture with horrible WLB. To squeeze every penny just so I can get on blind saying I make a bit more then someone else In a pissing contest. Mean while me and my family r miserable. I have more reasons then I care to list of why I am switching for long term goals.

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TOP 29 Comments
  • Capital One / R&D
    nuker

    Go to company page Capital One R&D

    nuker
    Booz Allen probably has location constraints. It's also more work than the others.
    Apr 11, 2021 10
    • Amazon
      bruhTripin

      Go to company page Amazon

      bruhTripin
      OP
      Lol yeah that’s why I’m making the switch to get my prior military stuff reactivated especially top secret. Thx for the info makes me feel a little better seems really hard to find info for sde’s with these companies.
      Apr 11, 2021
    • Your clearance can only be activated if the work you are doing requires it and what exactly do you mean by reactivated? How long has it been, what level clearance, etc? BTW yes, the work at Raytheon BBN is awesome (I may or may not have a little prejudice here).
      Apr 15, 2021
  • Lm wlb is completely up to you and your team. Some work crazy hours some do thier 40 and go home. Starting this year there's no rating system so raises will be in line with what everyone gets. Bonuses will be by performance but nothing like Amazon.
    Apr 18, 2021 0
  • SpaceX / Eng
    bruhX

    Go to company page SpaceX Eng

    bruhX
    I can speak a bit about Raytheon. From my short time there I can say that the work life balance for my team was great. I had friends on other teams as well and they all spoke highly of the WLB, though YMMV. Note that I was basically a new grad, so I’m not sure how my experience would have differed had I been more senior. The folks on my team were all very friendly and I think that’s generally the case throughout the company. I don’t think any Raytheon employees would describe the environment as cutthroat. My manager had also made it clear that he was very supportive of moving me around to other teams/locations if I ever found a better fit, but he did mention that not all managers are as supportive of transfers.
    Apr 11, 2021 4
    • Amazon
      bruhTripin

      Go to company page Amazon

      bruhTripin
      OP
      I agree and don’t see why they would lie. However just don’t know anybody personally on that side of things. I tend to always think and prepare for the worse first and hope for the best later. Don’t like leaving anything to chance.

      However your response makes me feel better. Just nerve racking making a shift without knowing anybody personally I can go to ask questions.
      Apr 11, 2021
    • Raytheon / Eng
      Ex-Ray

      Go to company page Raytheon Eng

      BIO
      now at startup
      Ex-Ray
      I was at Ray, WLB was awesome, schedule was incredibly flexible (modified time off you can make up any time within two weeks of taking it off, can come in or leave any time as long as you're there core working hours). I don't know of anyone who was told their role required clearance and didn't get it because of something Raytheon did, it's on you if that happens :p
      Apr 18, 2021
  • Booz Allen:
    -Clearance will depend on team\project. There are many that will put you in for one immediately, others that won't do anything more that a public trust, and other that require you already have one.
    -Wlb will depend on team\project. In 7 years, I've been on 6 different projects. I've never had to work more that 40hrs a week and took PTO whenever I wanted.
    -It has always been pretty easy to switch projects, but does depend on need at a particular location. The project contract dictates everything, not the company. If you are talking about physical location, 99% of work is in the DC metro area.
    -I've never had any issues with coworkers. Everyone seems to be civil, with the exception of a few. Depends on the project / team.
    Other input - working in Government contracting usually means working in old, antiquated technology. This sucks big time, especially if you enjoy coding and not doing it just for a paycheck. Also, a clearance is not a golden ticket that commands a super high salary. Lots of folks in the area have them. I've had them all with a poly. Never got a pay raise or crazy offer from other companies for it. Most I know with a clearance never experienced that either.
    Apr 12, 2021 3
  • TC or gtfo
    Apr 16, 2021 0