URS Reviews

Current Employee – been working at URS full-time for more than 7 years

Pros – Starting out this was a fantastic job - really exciting and interesting project work, travel for job assign,nets is voluntary and depends on the team you are in... My group had international projects and I was all for participating on the most interesting jobs and enjoyed the travel, but others that were not interested we're not forced if they could stay billable enough at the home office.

Cons – Your experience will depend entirely upon your business line and location. URS has an archaic business model that basis profit off of geographical profit centers and then location. As such, don't expect to work with other offices unless a special connection has been forged, and don't even expect to work with other groups inside your own office. Don't expect any training or real development unless your billable job requires it. Project managers end up being people managers. Feast and famine are based upon billability, but that's the nature of consulting.

Advice to Senior Management – Provide your managers with training and be more proactive when it comes to retention of valued employees.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

Former Employee – worked at URS as a contractor for more than 3 years

Pros – I would say the pros are they have tuition reimbursement available and they won't have you doing anything outside of your job description without paying you for it. I think it is a great place to work close to retirement because work in minimal. At another place you may do the job of 3 or 4 people at this one you will only do one aspect of that job.

Cons – The downside is it is very difficult to learn new things outside of your job because they won't allow you to. The company is huge with tons of opportunities but I personally don't think they prepare you for those opportunities.

Advice to Senior Management – Try to make sure each site is actually utilizing all of the wonderful practices you have in place.

– I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

Former Employee – worked at URS full-time for more than 10 years

Pros – Good people to work with. Possible to work across many business units and functions.

Cons – Very risk adverse company. Wouldn't go out and bid lump sum work. Seemed focused on engineering services work versus construction.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm not optimistic about the outlook for this company

Former Employee – worked at URS full-time for more than 3 years

Pros – - Good pay for the position
- Benefits were good

Cons – Company leadership mostly interested in the bottom line but not very concerned about employees' morale. They seem to be struggling to get large contracts in the Dallas market, but that may be due mostly to the economy.

Advice to Senior Management – Work on developing the employees and be open to smaller contracts until the economy turns around.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Former Employee – worked at URS full-time for more than 8 years

Pros – This was a contract position. It paid very well, well above local average.

Cons – Company would change policy to suit them, even with a union. Management did not know how to manage

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend – I'm not optimistic about the outlook for this company

Current Employee – been working at URS

Pros – The people at URS are some of the best people you can work with.

Cons – Management makes decisions before thinking about the inpact to the staff.

Advice to Senior Management – Share potential changes with staff earlier in the process.

Current Employee – been working at URS full-time for more than 7 years

Pros – Salaries are decent, position chart could be better. The way you have to move up the organizational chart should be restructured.

Cons – The accrual time for sick and vacation could be better; it takes a very long time to earn your two or three weeks of vacation.

Advice to Senior Management – Promotes those that really deserved to be promoted to the next level.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at URS full-time for more than 10 years

Pros – Strong corporate leadership, great pay, good benefits.

Cons – Middle managers are allowed to play favorites for promotions & assignments. Personal strengths and abilities are often denigrated to suppress ambition & support this favoritism.

Advice to Senior Management – Speak anonymously with you bottom-line workers. Most have been programmed to portray their Supervisors positively in fear of being black-listed. Your greatest challenge is finding out how your workers REALLY feel. Remember, a termite-ridden home looks great from the outside...

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at URS full-time for more than 7 years

Pros – One of ENR Top Ranking companies

Cons – Too big and too many employees... so URS acts a sort of staffing company. Just hire a person and send to a client office. That's it.

Too hard to get a promotion or more salary. Just 1-2% increase every year.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

Former Employee – worked at URS full-time

Pros – Some of the best and brightest in the engineering/consulting field
Local offices tend to work together for a common goal

Cons – Poor cooperation between offices and profit centers, Too much inside competition.
Upper management doesn't honor commitments to employees or customers.

Advice to Senior Management – Set positive examples, don't lie.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend – I'm not optimistic about the outlook for this company