bridge engineer

highway engineer

civil engineer

construction inspector

project manager

Larson Design Group

My experience with working at LDG has been positive.  Every company has their ups and downs, changes in management, "strategic initiatives" that may or may not pan out perfectly, etc. and there is always something that a complainer could find to complain about.

My experience has been:

- Extremely flexible work environment - I have a family.  I want to attend my children's doctor visits, school events, or coaching my kids’ sports.  I am able to adjust my schedule to be involved with my family.  Of course, I need to be a responsible adult and ensure my job responsibilities are taken care of, or make time up to offset (if not using PTO) the lost time, but LDG has ALWAYS supported my desire to focus on my family whenever needed.  

- Great, welcoming and helpful people to build long-term working relationships with – a work “family” that supports you and kicks butt for our clients together.

- If you are driven and put in the hard work, you will be successful.  Not every group is equal or every opportunity immediately available, but if you have the a positive attitude, work hard, and embrace the opportunities that come your way, you will be rewarded.

- The company is employee-owned, and I do feel they try to implement an employee-first mentality to compensation/benefits, recognition, work-life balance, career advancement discussions, etc.  Definitely, LDG is not perfect, upper management and supervisors are human and have their flaws.  That said, I do feel our LDG has tried hard to keep the employee-first culture alive despite our growth.  You do earn LDG stock by working here (a % of your salary each year), and this has been distributed every single year I’ve worked here (>10 years).  Our company is going to grow significantly in the future, growing value for all employees and creating opportunities for advancement for those that want to earn it.

- Support from the company for each employee's professional development - from a training budget to company provided specific training and leadership or management programs, the company INVESTS in their employees that show dedication and drive.

- Great reputation and active stewards of the communities we operate in.

LDG is not perfect, but certainly can be a great place to earn a living, grow a career and support/grow your family.

If you are wanting to be a real Architect with challenging and creative work this place is not for you.
It is cookie cutter retail boxes needing to be done in days from a template.
Management is very poor, untrained and narcissistic. You will be just fodder to be used but you will be told otherwise in the interview. ESOP means nothing, you are treated for what you are, an employee at will. Growth is non-existent and is closely held by a small select group.
You will be pushed to perform more billable hours every month, meet unrealistic growth goals then punished if they are not met.
Sweatshop mentality and no creativity. If you are an Architect wanting growth and challenge this pit is not for you regardless of what is said up front.

If you are early in your career this is the place for you!  Get your PE license here, sure, but don’t stay too long.  Your career will not flourish. You will learn the wrong way to do things and execution will be weak.  Be prepared to work! No such thing as work life balance. People work while they’re sick in the hospital. Salaries are not competitive.  The people are wonderful and is the only reason to work there. Only work here if you can’t find a more reputable engineering firm.  Everyone should start somewhere but just try to avoid this if you can. I get it we all need to work, but just skip over this ad. Consider a different career? Maybe a further job radius? Sorry if you had to submit a resume, they only hire a particular people. 

A typical work day starts at 8am, but getting in sooner could result in leaving sooner provided projects and tasks are not required that day. Overtime is almost always an option as well. I've learned many different skills both in the office and on field surveys. A minor knowledge of AutoLISP is something I taught myself and frequently use to complete repetitive tasks more efficiently.

I am happy to be part of a growing company with long term goals to continue bettering the company and the employees. The Employee Stock ownership is an excellent benefit in addition to 401K, time off, and other benefits. I have leadership within my department that has helped me grow and work toward my personal and professional goals. The collaboration among team members is awesome and I enjoy the type of work I do.

Employees at LDG are generally pleasant to work with, and complimentary lunches are somewhat frequently. While each department operates uniquely, this company is ideal for those who enjoy working on diverse projects. However, departments tend to be siloed, with limited communication outside their immediate teams. Advancement can also be slow, depending on the specific group. Despite these minor issues, I am overall satisfied being employed at LDG.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Very high turnover and no loyalty to tenured employees 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Over worked and under paid is common

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Very stressful,  cut throat, commissions are a joke

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
10+ hours daily and then working at nights and weekends on top of that

When I started everyone was new and half were gone when I left a year later. they buy mom n pop surveying companies and hire everyone except one or 2 people. They don't care what conditions are outside when surveying even though their survey schedule always says weather permitting they send you out no matter what. Was forced to work overtime way past the normal limit like 18 hr days, I'm not even sure how thats legal.

I've been working for LDG for about 6 months now. I've found that they have a small business mindset while being a company with 400+ individuals. Management is caring and understanding, your career advancement is important, and opportunities for growth are everywhere. This company requires a driven mindset. 

I went in as a 5 month temp and returned to fill another temp position later on.  The people could not have been more friendly and helpful.  There was little to no back stabbing or sniping since most were quite content in their positions.   I would return as a temp any time for any one of the departments.   Everyone reaches out to make you feel at home -

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Bridge engineer 113 salaries reported	$93,956 per year
Highway engineer 96 salaries reported	$92,661 per year
Civil engineer 23 salaries reported	$104,957 per year
Construction inspector 28 salaries reported	$122,411 per year
Project manager 36 salaries reported	$113,236 per year

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