a great place for retired Government folks to supplement their income
This company exists to collect money from US government sources providing system engineering consulting and program management services. The executive team, and the company culture is great, with a healthy amount of resources and events to communicate the high level status of the company. Excellent here, however one level below this executive team is where the company has problems. Middle management is based on a volunteer type basis to capture contracts. The ones I have encountered so far are not capable as business managers, with poor people skills.
No complaint on the generous bonuses and benefits given, but I do not see how these can be justified in contracting Government budgets moving forward. Since a good fraction of the employees are retired government already collecting a pension to pad their retirement, and there are pressures to bid low on contracts, raises are scarce.
The bar for services is low, a lot of box checking on ill defined requirements passed off to technically challenged Government customers. Rewards for excellent and mediocre deliverables are the same. A lot of great works falls on the floor so to speak as well due to poor program management. To be fair, this is a comment on issues that may go beyond this company... more on the effectiveness of the current Government contracting system. Something to consider if coming from commercial/academic spaces.
The majority of employees here are on the far side of right. Ironically, with nearly all of
Promoted and fulfilled a broad range of HR functions, including recruiting and training employees, overseeing disciplinary action and managing HR reco
Promoted and fulfilled a broad range of HR functions, including recruiting and training employees, overseeing disciplinary action and managing HR records, resolved conflicts and performed exit interviews.
Conducts ongoing research, analysis, and reporting of leading edge, best practices, and benchmarking relating to initiatives. Serve as an expert and a resource to managers and employees. Establish and maintain on-going relationships with peers and partners in key organizations and companies
Served as a liaison for continuing education, professional development, and career planning advisement.
Assisted HR Manager with preliminary investigation of conflicts or difficulties encountered by departments and/or personnel affecting employer-employee relationships.
Recommended solutions or refers employee problems and complaints to Chief HR Officer or other appropriate personnel; may facilitate and identify counseling referral assistance.
Interpreted policies, procedures, and laws pertaining to employee relationships.
Responded to inquiries about HR policies and procedures; recommend and implement changes to the meet needs of the firm.
Reviewed with attorneys and directors employee issues and recommends corrective action as appropriate.
Assisted contracted law firms with development of emergency response guidance for municipalities
Prepared ad-hoc reports for members of the management team as it relates to employee data.
Administered annual revie
Logistic Technician III - For M-ATV MRAP Variant of vehicles, equipment/projects. Coordinate w/ILSC, PSID, PEO, IPT, GVIC team members/associates for strategic planning/functional support. Supporting the current operations in Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan in support of MRAP missions. Support integration, coordination, and synchronization of current operations in support of the MRAP Sustainment Facility (MSF) missions to include coordination required to support the MRAP capability integration and refurbishment actions. Develop integrated logistics support plans addressing principal ILS elements of total life cycle planning, to include supply/maintenance plans, system design, research, diagnostics, test equipment, manpower/personnel, training devices, support equipment.
Assure availability of logistics support information required to coordinate/develop materiel-fielding plans/releases. Participate in special studies/projects to assist in resolving supply, maintenance, logistics, contingency planning or system sustainment problems as well as configuration management, publication and provisioning issues that arise. Determine and recommend the sequence and timing of key program events and milestones, decision methods, and alternative approaches to achieve established mission goals.
Support requirements based on emerging DOD logistics concepts. provides input to acquisition milestone documentation, assesses user requirements to include preventive maintenance planning, proce
There are two segregated work areas, Classified side for those with a security clearance, and Unclassified side for those without. These two sides work together on projects and mingle daily. The problem with this dynamic is that I believe it creates a bubble of unchecked/unchallenged gossip and sometimes unfair characterization of new employees because they know they can speak freely about the people who aren't cleared to access their side, and share opinions that will go unchallenged, and narratives form that cannot be corrected by the subject. I have been the target of this. I came on in a time where there was a ton of work they were behind on, and I took on every single project they allowed me to. I stressed for months but was super happy and felt like I was helping the team tremendously. I was pulled aside one day by two of my managers for taking too long of a lunch more than once (absolutely fair of them to do so on this point, I was working too much) but then was shocked to learn that both of them agreed that I was an 'egotistical monster' and that I needed to understand that this wasn't going to be a 'one-man studio'... I had no idea that anybody felt this way - I am a person of few words, and all I did was tell them 'yes' every time they asked if something could be done. I slowly started noticing how everybody looked at me from the Classified side, like I was a jerk or something, but everybody from the unclassified side that I work with was fine with me. I was the onl
Acted as lead subject matter expert with three direct reports. On all Huntsville/Redstone MDA PBX telephone systems implanted DOD Information Assurance Certification & Accreditation Process (DIACAP package) per DOD Directive 8500.1 and 5025.1-M, Assessed and Implemented Defense Switch Network DISA STIG,
DIACAP Implementation Plan (DIP), System Identification Profile (SIP), Plan of Action & Milestones (PO&M), Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC) approval documents and other supporting Artifacts Per DOD Directive 8500.1, 5025.1-M, also implemented MDA Directive 5200.02 Information Security, MDA Directive 5200.01 Security, and MDA 5210.01-M Physical Security. Written Policies, Procedures and Guidelines that fall within the DOD and MDA directives. Managed systems access accounts local and remote. Installed system vulnerability patches OS VXworks/Linux. Provided IT support to SAP on a continuous basis. Managed three direct reports. Managed projects and Maintained and preformed system design and implantation on Nortel 81c, 11c, 1000b, 1000E and 1000M VOIP systems, Avaya G3 System. Installation of circuits ISDN, T1 PRI, POTS, analog and digital telephone lines. System design of Nortel SRG50, and 1000E VOIP systems. Installed and maintained cabling infrastructure, Cat 5E, and Multi mode fiber. Maintained ISDN circuits for secure and unsecured VTC, STE, and Sectra communications. Provided the SMDC with maintenance of multi-media interface floor boxes. Maintenance of voice mai
Prospeople I work with and support.
Conscontract is ending.
1.0
Environmental Scientist | Towanda, PA | Sep 5, 2013
Poor management makes worse work environment
While SAIC (and the newly formed LEIDOS) outwardly insist on ethical behavior, fundamentally the management system is so flawed that ethics take a back seat to office politics. Many times I had no idea whom to speak to about a problem, because there are excessive layers of management. Problems with other employees, lack of adherence to Standard Operating Procedures, and poor job performance were consistently "swept under the rug", due primarily to intra-office politics and relationships.
Although they profess the opposite, SAIC (and LEIDOS) are still a "good old boys" network. When layoffs occurred recently at the office I was working in, the only people kept, save one, were in couples. There were 4 couples in total, and 2 of the women had a reporting relationship to the men that they were involved with. Please do not pass this off as speculation.....all 4 couples have now moved out of company housing and in with each other in separate units. It felt like I was in an incestuous middle school, with the class clown running the office. When I asked my "manager" why I was chosen for layoff, I was told that he didn't know me very well. Seems logical.
Additionally, there are virtually no avenues for advancement or movement, be it laterally or vertically. Once you are hired on under a title, you are put into a box, and given few opportunities to work on anything else. I had over 10 years of experience in the environmental field, and when I asked my supervisor if I could work
ProsOpportunity for overtime
ConsOffice politics, poor management, lack of vertical advancement
4.0
Senior Network Engineer | San Diego, CA | May 22, 2018
Great Employee Owned Co - split into current LDOS (original renamed) & new SAIC
Typical Engineering 9-6 w/flexible hours (+ on-call or extra hours as needed). I learned Systems, Data Center, & Networking Layers 1-7+ Strategy/Politics top to bottom over 20+ years initially on Project HealthCare VA military side, then as 1 of 2 most Sr IT Network Engineers growing team from early after thought to critical 7/24 Enterprise standard for 350+ WAN/LAN sites, large Campus with multiple redundant DataCenters, expanding fiber/POP entrances, set Building/Campus closet/DataCenter wiring/network standards, as well as engineer advance Load-Balancing, Router/VPN, Firewall & troubleshoot worst Network/System/Application problems day or on-call.
Hardest part was coordinating or troubleshooting major Campus or core DataCenter, sometimes on Holiday or often late low usage periods, but also could be most rewarding as typically huge accomplishments as well a rare major system/application problems networking often helped solve. Adding major redundancies & DataCenter isolation from campus lessen network problems while challenging problems also provide great learning opportunity and keeps things interesting.
Management varied in 20 years from great as well as not so great, with more Bureaucratic process standards as SAIC grew or w/ Government work (earlier often had personal relationships w/ very Sr. Mgmt). After SAIC went public or new outside CIO's & top management less familiar with older SAIC legacy entrepreneurial spirit & dynamic processes as well as employee's a
ProsEarlier Stock grants easier & even matching Pension $'s, while later higher Base salary. Some free meals on special occations, Great Benifits, etc.
ConsSan Diego no longer the headquarters nor huge Campus/DataCenter it was, as leadership moved east
Employed as Program Manager for two Programs, one Large, and One Medium size from May 2006 to May 2012
Served as program manager for two major Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) engagements.
1. Program Manager, DLA Aviation Help Desk Feb 2008 – May 2012
Managed ~$3.5M program budget and 40-member team from four subcontractors providing Tier 1-3 help desk operations and asset and warehouse inventory, SIPRNet, Web development, printer/peripheral, wireless device, classroom training PC, and ADP security account management support services.
– Oversaw selection and training of Microsoft Office 2007 instructors teaching ~3500 staff in a four-month period; delivered on time and under budget with high customer satisfaction.
– Achieved program fee profitability of ~13.5% against 8% goal.
2. Program Manager, Enterprise Data Center (EDC) May 2006 – Aug 2010
Oversaw $52.56M, five-year program with ~100 cross-functional resources supporting EDC prime vendor (HP) in analysis, migration, and testing to consolidate applications and systems from multiple locations to two HP-operated regional data centers, including Information Assurance (IA) Certification & Accreditation (C&A). Directed PMO operations to ensure high-quality contract execution and delivery to diverse client areas, including contracts, subcontracts, finance, accounting, project control, accounts payable & receivable, legal, and reporting.
– Effectively managed phased staffing reduction from ~100 to 15-member steady state level while maintaining overall quality of program deliverables.
– Increased fee profitability by 4
ProsCulture while employee owned was terrific
ConsCulture after IPO changed drastically and became very profit driven, training opportunities were drastically reduced
United States Postal Service (USPS) Merrifield, VA - Software Assurance Analyst/Assistant Team Lead - As a Lead my responsibilities included reviewing, verifying, and validating SDLC documentation such as Software Requirement Specifications, Software Master Test Plans, and Software Version Descriptions; examined documents prepared during the software development process to ensure technical accuracy, readability, and completeness. I also wrote Technical Analysis Reports for all SDLC document deliverables for review; proposed changes necessary for satisfying documentation requirements, project objectives, and proposed updates to documentation. I was responsible for ensuring requirements’ traceability throughout all SDLC documentation was accurate in accordance to the agreed upon statement of work, including test cases and test results. I ensured that software requirements completely identified the functionality for systems, and all requirements had been tested and successfully passed. Responsibilities also included coordinating, conducting, and observing testing, understanding how testing is conducted, and how to report results. I was also responsible providing peer review support for validation of six team members writing technically accurate and detailed Software Test Reports, technical Analyst Report documents for all SLDC deliverables documentation. Provided training to all new team members working within the SDLC process and IV&V validation procedures on USPS protocol.
Science Application International Corporation (SAIC): 2011-2013
As a member of the FORSCOM initiative to provide Home Station Training (HST) with Theater Provided Equipment (TPE)The TPE HST program was developed to enhance OEF deploying BCTs and CABs training capabilities for TPE systems that they will sign for upon arrival in theater, specifically the SIPR NIPR Access Point (SNAP) and the Harris 117G Radio. Our intent of the training sets is to provide OEF BCTs and CABs with the skills and technical know-how to successfully accomplish their mission in theater, and to increase individual and integrated tactical communications pre-deployment tasks.
Science Application International Corporation (SAIC): 2009 to 2011
Task Lead In support of a FORSCOM initiative to provide technical support to the G6/S6 Commander and his staff on Battle Command Platform Operation and Integration, the FORSCOM Signal Support Team (SST) was assembled utilizing SAIC and FORSCOM team members. The group evolved into the Battle Command Assistance Team (BCAT) and Mission Command Assistance Team (MCAT), I was Task Team Lead for 2 years, I provided Over the Shoulder assistance to Active Army, Reserve and National Guard Soldiers on VMware Infrastructure Client, ESXI Servers, Datacenter, VMware Desktop Thin Client, and VMware WorkStation training soldiers on military physical and virtual Army Battle Command Systems (ABCS) to include Battle Command Server (BCS), Maneuver Control System & Gateway (M
ProsLove the job great benefits
Consintense travel schedule
Questions And Answers about SAIC
What benefits does SAIC offer?
Asked Jul 13, 2016
The company offers high deductible insurance at the same rates that comparable companies offer significantly better insurance benefits.
Answered Jul 17, 2018
Health, dental, 401-K, vision
Answered Jan 12, 2018
What PTO hours do you get?
How many days a year off and such.
Asked Dec 27, 2016
9 days 18.56 Pto
Answered Apr 16, 2019
19 days PTO and 10 Federal holidays. No additional PTO is awarded for longevity.
Answered Jul 17, 2018
What is the best part of working at SAIC?
Asked Jan 6, 2020
Work ethics
Answered Jun 29, 2022
The company is well established and large. If you don’t like something you can move up, down, left or right. It’s a great option!
Answered Jun 17, 2022
Do they control your personal social media usage?
Asked Sep 1, 2016
No, they do not control your personal social media usage
Answered Mar 16, 2018
Classified spaces and systems do not mix with social media.
Answered Jan 16, 2018
What is the work environment and culture like at SAIC?
Asked Aug 8, 2016
My feeling is it was very stressful. We were required to bill approximately 44+ hours per week to the San Diego County client. This did not include any travel time spent between our Sorrento Mesa office and any county customer site.
Answered Feb 22, 2018
Usually cubes or shared offices. Singular office for management level.
