Applied online via company website, and received a phone call two weeks later from an talent acquisition person to schedule an interview. Drove to the interview two days later.
**One quick tip about the interview before I comment further: This Raytheon office (and many others) has no dress code and everyone dresses EXTREMELY casually. Going in wearing a full suit will make you look silly. Now that I work here, we all laugh at the people on interviews when they come in. A nice blazer with a simple oxford shirt, wool tie, slacks, and semi-formal oxford shoes looks polished without looking like you're out of place. Most people will assume you're a contractor, and not an interviewee.
The interview itself was onsite, with one technical director, and another department head, both in their respective offices. (I later learned that I would be working for neither; the people whom you interview with are peers of people that you WILL be working with. This way there is no bias, and a fair assessment of you and your qualifications). Upon entering the building, you will be escorted everywhere. This isn't odd when you really think about it due to the sensitive nature of the stuff that goes on here, and its a big building and easy for someone to "wander off" in. If you get hired, you'll hear all about ITAR/EAR training, and this whole escort process will make a lot more sense.
By far the strangest interview I have ever been on, mostly due to the fact that there were almost zero questions. The interview opened up with a brief introduction to what the department did and some examples of work. Then moved on to just going over my resume, with limited questions. Discussed what I liked in school, and my projected area of expertise (controls). Some more basic questions about classes, if I knew any coding languages (specifically C), but overall no technical questions, just interest in what I have done/will do.
Moved on after that interview to take a tour through some of the labs in the building, and then went to the second interview. This wasn't so much of an interview as the engineer just telling me what he did, what projects hes worked on, what systems engineers do at Raytheon, and where I would be fitting in to the mix. It basically felt like an orientation.
I was then escorted out, and told I would be contacted in a few weeks. Ironically I left feeling like they had already hired someone, and they were just going through the motions. Alas, a week later I got a call from a representative with an offer package, and subsequently a request for a drug test and a background check.
Started working about 3.5 weeks after the interview process started.
