architect

mechanical engineer

architect ii

electrical engineer

civil engineer

SmithGroup

SmithGroup is moving to a regional structure meaning that there is one office leader that manages several locations in many different states. So the person you report to/office director may have never even been to your office before. The same with HR. They aren't located in your state and therefore they don't care about an employee in another office. 

A typical day for me changed from day to day. 
What I learned was that HR does not stand for human relations. That's not in their job description at all. If you want to relate to someone, they will provide you with the resources to find that person. Because it ain't them. 
Management/leadership is a tight knit group that makes all the decisions within the office and with employees. (Prior to the new regional structure change).
With HR as the person supposed to be promoting the culture within the offices and with them being SO unrelatable.. they have literally killed all culture in the Texas offices. 
The hardest part of the job for me was the toxicity that was spreading throughout the office (like a cancer).
The most enjoyable part of my job was my fellow coworkers. 

Talented colleagues with strong potential for innovative cross-collaboration. There is a solid foundation of expertise across teams, and the organization has the ingredients to be an excellent place to work.

Design culture can feel siloed across projects, with a fairly top-down structure. Opportunities for open design discussions (such as pinups or collaborative critiques) are limited - yes technical architects are designers too.




Had a great experience, learned a lot, loved the people and culture, and was given wonderful opportunities. Some days were tedious sitting behind a computer all day moving lines around, but as they love to tell you when you're young in this profession--it's all about paying your dues!

I could and should have been doing so much more there. I had a tough client who would not start there project and I became the fall guy for that despite me calling that client every week urging them to get started. I even got them to double the scope and fee for the project without objection. So I am gone and to my knowledge the project is still not started.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Some smart people and not much else

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The passive aggressive leadership

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Hierarchical and cliquish. Hardly anyone shows up at the office. It’s hard to develop a culture when no one is there.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Alone at my desk on Teams calls all day

Poor pay even for on average salary in a poor-paying industry. Leadership talks a lot about mission and collaboration, but it's mainly lip service. Opportunities to advance are given only to select "chosen ones" - others who express a desire to advance are dismissed. Good opportunities to gain experience, but at the cost of your personal life (Average week 55-60 hours).

When you interview make sure to ask for extra compensation for "Hazardous Environment."  That is, "Mental Hazardous Environment," especially if you choose to accept a position in "Workplace," because the standard Employee Healthcare will not cover the costs of all of the psychological trauma and PTSD you will acquire during your employment tenure there.

Best wishes!   

This was a short term assignment but I learned quite a bit in that short time.  I wasn't there for a specific project but helped with several.  The people I worked with were quite nice and willing to help as needed.  I still use some of the ideas and techniques, as well as information obtained, in my current position.  These things will always be part of my repertoire.

Stocking 4 floors with miscellaneous supplies(Kitchen, Equipment, Supplies etc.) Managing Mail room/ Copy room
Hard work, Consistency
Great set of co-workers, diverse nationalities/cultures
The day to day operations constantly changing depending on projects/clientele
The interaction with my staff

Wonderful Accounting Team.  Flexible Hours.  Enjoyable place to work.  The most enjoyable part of my job is my work is my own and my own responsibility.  I am able to work from home and work commute in the office.  I am able to balance both personal and work related responsibilities.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Architect 3 salaries reported	$76,333 per year
Mechanical engineer 2 salaries reported	$20.67 per hour
Architect ii 3 salaries reported	$89,667 per year
Electrical engineer 3 salaries reported	$21.07 per hour
Civil engineer 3 salaries reported	$110,833 per year

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