HDR is providing me with large challenging complex projects and a very knowledgeable senior staff.
Pros
HDR offers the opportunity to make your mark on the world as you work on large scale projects. The talent pool is deep at the company and those assets are happy to answer questions and discuss solutions at any time. The culture at HDR is one of its major strengths; a straight and steady approach to the market and upper level management decisions. Each day you are challenged to create solutions to multidisciplinary projects whether it be working with Structural on the interface of a retaining wall, Track with the roadbed, and Civil with a drainage swale. You are driven to a high quality standard in your work deliverables, both internal and external. Everyone at the Boston office is easy to get along with and very polite. There are no ego problems or other issues like that.
Cons
With larger headcounts come larger overhead issues and unfortunately technology adoption is one of them. It seems we are always a version behind a client with a design software package which is frustrating. We are supposed to be the ones with the resources to the job we were hired to do. If you are just starting out, you are only given 2 weeks vacation. After 5 years you get 3 weeks, but 2 until that time is not very healthy. The office is growing which is a great thing, however there doesn't seem to be a consistent plan for the growth and as a result people have been given desks against walls, not in cubes, or placed in conference rooms. These may just be growing pains, but it is a concern of some of the staff.
