Pros
- Ample amounts of PTO - Job Security (besides layoffs, they don't fire people) - Decent Pay - Arizona is Cheap to live - Easy Parking
Cons
- Management is terrible. There is basically no communication from senior management to "low level" people. There are a lot of power plays in upper management, the only way to make it there is to be cunning and diplomatic, or an idiot. If you start as an engineer but are lacking skills, they will give you a try in management instead of firing you since firing makes the company look bad. - Most of the engineers here are at least 40+ with little training in the last 10 years of technology, you will surely have to teach people how to use a computer (why can't I edit this txt file in IE?) - This company does not make their money from software, so they do not value developers like real software companies do. Just a bunch of idiots who can't get it right. Ignored from all social events and ignored of any recognition. - They think engineers are interchangeable, plug-n-play workers. Attrition of senior workers means nothing; all knowledge transfers can be done within 2 weeks. - No doc writers, just because devs are knowledgeable doesn't mean they are suited to write your documentation. - Management only has high level view of the system and do not know issues yet make decisions without considering developer concerns. - Overtime doesn't have any rewards other than being viewed as a favor for managers. Many hundreds of hours per year of mandatory overtime. - Bad requirements causes a terrible waterfall experience. - Lots of overhead for doing any work. - Over-managed, 1.5 managers for 1 engineer should never ever happen. Status-ing you every 15 minutes. Good luck doing work. - Little chance for career advancement (advancement based on time served) - Poor working environment, everyone talks about getting out or bad management. - Dull work, software/hardware that is 10 years old and end of life'd, out of manufacture, or without support. - Because of EOL software or dead hardware that isn't manufactured anymore, there will constantly be additional work for upgrading and re-integrating software / products. - Full Waterfall development cycle (terrible for developers) - All men environment, all women management. - Cubicles You will end your career here whether you are 65 or 22.