When you've had enough of other fun and challenging jobs, try to get a "coasting..." job in defense - Software Engineer Northrop Grumman Employee Review

3.0
Jun 13, 2008
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

A fantastic opportunity to see the Defense machine at work and get an early view at some really cool technology that public gets to see only decades later (if you're lucky to get on a project like that). The salary is decent compared to your peers, just make sure you negotiate well up front. Benefits (medical, 401, etc) are great but the incentive-based packages are non existent for non-managers (revenue sharing, stock options, bonus).

Cons

It's the nature of the beast, but still a downside - everything moves soooo slowly. But this would be a problem elsewhere as well - Raytheon, Lockheed, etc. You will never ever get to see a full project from acquisition to deployment until you get higher up to be included on the acquisition processes and become so useless that they don't move you to another project and let you coast on one forever. Most projects are miss-managed and developed with the Waterfall method which leads to buggy and delayed products. Forget about voicing your opinion if you haven't served in the military or haven't been there a million years. Speaking of which, the "good ol' boys" attitude of hiring and quickly promoting former military over well trained and seasoned engineers is pissing the heck out the generation of folks who didn't grow up with the draft, didn't serve (and didn't want to) and believed they were in a civilian job not the military.

Explore other reviews about Northrop Grumman

5.0
Apr 19, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The engineers are good and helpful

Cons

No cons for my experience

3.0
May 20, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Job security, nearly impossible to get laid off, Hours for most people are consistent, generally a good benefits package. You are able to jump around laterally within the company very easily. Once you get to T3 and above the salary becomes decent for prime standards. Easy, almost non-existent interviews.

Cons

Not moving fast enough in the current defense market. Lots of red-tape. Turnover at specific sites are insanely high. Promotions take forever and the increase in salary is minimal. They don't care about retention. They will let you walk and give your replacement a sign-on bonus and a higher salary. There are a lot of slackers and old timers riding it out till retirement. Only about a 1/3 of this site is actually productive. Yes-men get into management and ignore technical experts. Agile hiring is a huge issue where people are just thrown onto random teams. Easy, almost non-existent interviews allow people without relevant backgrounds to join teams. Every site operates completely differently.

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