Prós
- Large number of projects going on - Relocation/rotations available throughout the united states - One of very few places that do certain types of work (e.g., space systems, very large scale projects) - Vacation/work-life-balance was good where I worked [however, friends on other programs did have to deal with hellish 60+ hour mandatory weeks because of management screw ups related to vastly over-promising things to the customer]
Contras
- Crippling bureaucracy - Poor incentives. Pay was significantly below market for the area; you were generally expected to leave for a competitor if you wanted to make more money. This relates to the next bullet: - Good engineers generally left after a short period of time (< 2 years), either for more money, more interesting/fulfilling work, or just to avoid the stifling atmosphere of pointy-haired bosses. This constant attrition of actual good talent left behind a husk of barely competent mouth-breathers that one has to deal with on a day-to-day basis.