Pros
The benefit package is very good for hourly and non-degreed workers, but sub-par for high-level employees like staff engineers and up only two weeks of total vacation with no personal or sick time; It does slowly increase after five years. Some interesting work, but given only to a favored, select few. I know a few good people who are super talented, but since late 2009, lots of serious talent has moved on to bigger and better opportunities with better compensation.
Cons
I don’t really know anything about C4 Systems in Arizona, Florida or elsewhere, but have talked with colleagues that work there and get the impression that both are different and much better environments. The overtime is a very difficult challenge; forget continuing professional education or use of that benefit, in more than a year, I haven’t had any time for my family or hobbies. I recently took the time to calculate my real compensation and decided that I had to write a review. My hope is that through this anonymous forum will provide an insiders day-to-day that may help management to consider a better approach and/or I’ll be able to share some real considerations and numbers with industry colleagues. Back to my calculation; the company provides a comprehensive benefits site that allows you to readily see your total annual compensation. I simply took my total annual compensation and divided it by my total hours to date, for 2011, and the result was $23.19/hr. Keep in mind that I’m a PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS ENGINEER of several years with a MS and more than 20 years of experience. Simply stated, you can do ¬MUCH better elsewhere and for your career and future you really must look elsewhere. If you accept an offer here, be very careful with HR and make sure that you get everything in writing; particularly travel compensation and teleworking options. The work socialization process is super annoying to most engineers, we already work harder and are more committed than most yet management here doesn’t “get it.” It may take years before any accomplishments, even game changing contributions, will be formally recognized. Managers will constantly over commit you into supporting multiple projects and programs, and very early AM, late PM and lunchtime conference calls while your traveling to support yet another project or program; hundreds of hours of uncompensated overtime is typical.