Avoid Software Engineering here at all costs - Senior Principal Software Engineer BAE Systems USA Employee Review

1.0
4 Oct 2020
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

9/80 schedule Great for those who wish to coast to retirement or at the tail end of their careers and winding down.

Cons

New campus hires leave after a few years after finding out their compensation dramatically lags behind the industry and their peers. Huge age gap between engineers, most have either been at the company for < 2 years or > 20 years. The middle-level is non-existent due to attrition. Software management constantly does not see the need to invest in continuous improvement or reduction of technical debt. Projects constantly under-bid in order to meet schedule deadlines. A toxic culture has developed due to the factors above, being promoted into management means that you have either been an employee for a certain number of years or nepotism. The skilled and talented engineers recognize this sooner or later and leave for other opportunities. Software languages and frameworks severely outdated along with Software Engineering practices. Some skills learned here are very niche and only translate to very specific areas in defense software. Very hard for new joiners to contribute in a meaningful way as current projects are undocumented and require too much legacy/domain knowledge. As a consequence of this, tasks seen by Principal Engineers as menial and frustrating are assigned to younger engineers which perpetuate the cycle.

Explore other reviews about BAE Systems USA

5.0
22 Apr 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Can choose what to do

Cons

May be a bit slow

4.0
25 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

My pros are my manager and team coworkers. Outside of that not really a fan. I do well at what I do.

Cons

Honestly, ever since new management has come for the upper VPs and directors, a lot has shifted for the negative. Feels very micromanaging when we were told we were doing fine at home and there was no reason to have us come back in the office. Now suddenly we’re being forced back to the office. Other departments and I don’t really get along because there’s a bunch of petty people just trying to get others in trouble and all I’m doing is trying to do my job. Where I am at, everyone just talks all day and then complains about how much work they have.

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