Job market for defense contractors in Colorado Springs? (transfer, military)

[MtnSurfer]

Well,

I work for Northrop Grumman in Colorado Spring as a software engineer. I moved out here with my family from Calif. about a year and half ago. I got a transfer from NG in Calif. where I had worked at the time.

I think the real 'Big' issue is relocation. It is expensive and they really don't want to pay for it if they don't have to. I offered to relocate myself and they accepted the transfer. Fortunately I didn't have to take a pay cut from a higher paying region to a lower one. A systems engineer friend/coworker of mine got a job offer from Boeing in CS with 'full' relo and a significant raise. But I think he is more of the exception.

Keep in mind that the cost of living out here is 'Much' less than east/west coasts. So if you 'really' want to move to Colorado and are willing to forfit relo you probably stand a better chance.

I wouldn't move out without job though. But that is just me. I have a family to support and couldn't afford to do that.

One last thing to consider is that it really helps to know someone at the company and get some kind of referral. I would say the majority of positions are filled through some kind of referral. I remember when NG was going thru a 'Big' hiring spree in Calif. management encouraged us to tell our friends or family members about openings.

- Derek

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

....snip...I think the real 'Big' issue is relocation. It is expensive....

Typically costs $50k to $100k to move a family, counting in house hunting trips, hotels, van lines, MLS fees, storage of goods, and more. When I worked for Army, we managed a DOD-wide program for moving military personnel and civilians around the world and the states. Our annual DOD bill for moving and storage costs exceeded $1B.

[RGG13]

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

Well,

I work for Northrop Grumman in Colorado Spring as a software engineer. I moved out here with my family from Calif. about a year and half ago. I got a transfer from NG in Calif. where I had worked at the time.

I think the real 'Big' issue is relocation. It is expensive and they really don't want to pay for it if they don't have to. I offered to relocate myself and they accepted the transfer. Fortunately I didn't have to take a pay cut from a higher paying region to a lower one. A systems engineer friend/coworker of mine got a job offer from Boeing in CS with 'full' relo and a significant raise. But I think he is more of the exception.

Keep in mind that the cost of living out here is 'Much' less than east/west coasts. So if you 'really' want to move to Colorado and are willing to forfit relo you probably stand a better chance.

I wouldn't move out without job though. But that is just me. I have a family to support and couldn't afford to do that.

One last thing to consider is that it really helps to know someone at the company and get some kind of referral. I would say the majority of positions are filled through some kind of referral. I remember when NG was going thru a 'Big' hiring spree in Calif. management encouraged us to tell our friends or family members about openings.

- Derek

Yeah, I am willing to cover relo as a moving expense. There's no way I am moving out there without a job ahead of time. My father in law works for Grumman in El Segundo (formerly TRW). I know there is a contract that they teamed up with Grumman in Springs but he is not part of that. I work for the Dept of Energy but am in the Bay Area with its high cost of living. I'm not suprised if I would take a 10% pay cut or maybe more.

Thanks for posting,
-Robert

[MtnSurfer]

Yes,

It sounds like you are indeed motivated enough to find a position. Remember once you are out here you can 'pay your dues' and get a better lay of the land. Then if another preferrable area/opportunity emerges you can look into that as well.

Even if you took a 10% pay cut you would still have more expendible income than you do living in the Bay area. I lived near your father-in-law while in Calif. and the cost of living is really high there also.

I updated my resume on monster recently and I am getting all kinds of local recruiters and companies contacting me. That didn't happen when living in Calif.

[RGG13]

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

Yes,

It sounds like you are indeed motivated enough to find a position. Remember once you are out here you can 'pay your dues' and get a better lay of the land. Then if another preferrable area/opportunity emerges you can look into that as well.

Yeah. That is true. I've got a pretty good focus on what I want. For DoD stuff there is the clearance issue. I'd rather not have anything lapse.

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

Even if you took a 10% pay cut you would still have more expendible income than you do living in the Bay area. I lived near your father-in-law while in Calif. and the cost of living is really high there also.

I've done some of the basic math. It's far better there than here. My father-in-law actually works at the Redondo Beach plant and lives in Torrance. The cost of living there is as bad or worse!

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

I updated my resume on monster recently and I am getting all kinds of local recruiters and companies contacting me. That didn't happen when living in Calif.

I'll have to do that this weekend. I've been going directly to the employer's career sites and have not gotten any callbacks.

Wish me luck,
-Robert

[MtnSurfer]

Yes, in the neighborhood I grew up in of Manhattan Beach, the median price of an average smallish 1950s home is over $1.1 million. Then the nicer homes actually on or near the beach go for over $2 million +. Insane if you ask me!

I know what you mean about your security clearance. It would be a good thing to keep that if you can. But I have heard that once you have one, even if you lose it for a time, it is easier to obtain the next time around.

[FlypSyde]

Wow! I can't believe this thread I started is still going!

I was really gung ho to get to CoS back when I started this thread, but then I got a great offer from Northrop Grumman here in California and I decided to take it. I'm hoping to put in a transfer to CoS later on down the line, like what MtnSurfer did.

I guess we'll see!

Keep up the great advice and information!

-FlypSyde

[duppyone]

Originally Posted by FlypSyde

@ autumnwyndsong

Same thing on my end. That company that I did an initial phone interview with ended up filling the position, but I only found out because I called them back to follow up. I did receive a call from Northrop Grumman two weeks ago and they were actually pretty good about calling me back to keep me updated, but their gov't customer ended up requiring a SCI for the position, on top of my TS clearance, which I don't have

I am interviewing in a few weeks for a different position with Northrop but here in California. My hope now is to get in and be able to transfer to Colorado Springs later on

The same thing happened to me. I have a TS/SCI and want to move from Ohio to Colorado since there's more things to do there than here. I interviewed with a company that even had me sign a letter of acceptance for the job. Of course, it was all contingent upon the government. They assured me I'd get the job and were preparing me to move out there. Then I heard nothing...ever again. I emailed them for a follow-up and got no response and no returned phone calls. Pretty annoying. There was another company that wanted me too, but guess what? The government decided on someone else, probably already in the area. I have to move out of this dead-end job in Ohio. And no---I refuse to move to DC because I lived there previously and seriously thought it was Hell on Earth. If anyone knows of where a spectral image analyst can find work in CO. with a ts/sci, please contact me.

[Postal]

Just a note from working around clearances, a clearance doesn't guarantee you a job. I went through the same process about 6-9 months ago. I didn't get calls back on alot of jobs that I had applied for and had contact with the company. In this day and age where no one is courteous anymore, complete silence just happens.

On the flip side of that, I had several job offers in CO and when I chose the one I wanted I made a point to call and talk to the jobs I was turning down. I wanted to make sure they knew and could cross me off their list.

Job hunting is frustrating, but you can't get easily discouraged. Just keep going and something good will come your way.

[duppyone]

Originally Posted by Postal

Just a note from working around clearances, a clearance doesn't guarantee you a job. I went through the same process about 6-9 months ago. I didn't get calls back on alot of jobs that I had applied for and had contact with the company. In this day and age where no one is courteous anymore, complete silence just happens.

On the flip side of that, I had several job offers in CO and when I chose the one I wanted I made a point to call and talk to the jobs I was turning down. I wanted to make sure they knew and could cross me off their list.

Job hunting is frustrating, but you can't get easily discouraged. Just keep going and something good will come your way.

Well, honestly...I knew a clearance doesn't guarantee a job. If it did then I would be working in Colorado already. I am very familiar with the process of contracting and winning a contract. Unfortunately it seems over time there are different requirements. What I am finding now is that the field is turning towards men with military backgrounds vs. college and experience. Although I appreciate what the troops do on the ground, I still have to pay my bills. It's frustrating because I was always told that I could write my own ticket when I get a clearance. Lies! Now times have changed and it seems that unless someone wants to scrape by and stress out in DC, there's not a whole lot elsewhere. I refuse to move back to DC (even though I have another phone interview with someone next week out there).

Somehow I have to get out to Colorado. It's just so backwards in Ohio...but still cheaper than DC, which is nice. A girl's gotta pay her bills!