Pros: The below director level employees are the best, super smart and driven.

Cons: I was hired to do one thing, within a week was asked to do something I had no experience doing (I was clear about this throughout the hiring process), did not get the resources or support to succeed. Add to that 4 different managers in a year with the fourth not reviewing the stellar reviews I had up until they took over. Finally lots of fear of the CEO - he'll ask for something, and no one will tell him that it isn't smart, or feasible in the timeframe demanded. Lost my job with no notice, in a reorganization, I found out when I went to my scheduled one on one with my manager, and was told to move to a conference room, where there was an HR rep who immediately took my computer and badge. Then was basically frog-marched out of the building.

Pros: Challenging work and interesting products. The engineers I interact with are all ethical and trying to do the right thing.

Cons: The role can be pretty high stress at times.

Pros: - Factually, one of the most successful start-ups in the country. The company sells several real products that customers are really buying and using. There is no vaporware being built here. Leadership is aiming to compete and collaborate with the other defense primes as peers. The jobs here feel secure and promising. My fastest career growth has taken place during the years I've worked here. - Respectful and professional culture. I've witnessed the least amount of workplace drama at this company than any previous. People here are friendly, always value poise, and are focused on the mission and solving challenging engineering problems. - Incredible talent pool. Many of the most talented engineers in the country work here, and you will grow as an engineer by working with them. - This company is grappling with frontier technologies. Much of the development happening here is for advanced novel technologies, and this is exciting for a certain type of engineer.

Cons: - This company makes products that empower state security and military powers with advanced surveillance products. Like it is working for the rest of the defense companies, you should understand and come to terms with that and decide for yourself if that is a con for you. - This company works with the US government, and so all employees are now required to log time worked per project due to industry rules and audits. It is no longer a start-up where employees can just focus on engineering, instead you will be spending some time each week just filling out time sheets. - You are expected to enjoy working here. If you don't have huge career ambitions or just want to work a minimum amount and sign off, then this might not be the company for you.