ATK Space Systems Reviews

Pros

Great work environment within the corporation.

Cons

Not much motivation from managers for advancement.

Advice to Senior Management

Reduce middle management and use money for motivating employees.

Pros

High profile projects
Delevoping the next generation for human space travel
High visibility with NASA.
9/80 Work weeks

Cons

Only one customer NASA, with no contracts
Work on unfunded projects
Lots of layoffs, which older people are targeted
No job security.
Way too much management

Advice to Senior Management

Too many bosses, not enough workers.

Pros

A family like environment in a Fortune 500 Company.

Cons

Could be better disparity among pay grades.

Advice to Senior Management

Reward high achievers and for a military oriented company my time spent in the Marines was not an asset at all.

Pros

The compensation is above average, working conditions are adequate, leadership is marginal. It seems to thrive on very reactionary thinking/planning.

Cons

If you don't mind not getting any respect from the upper management "team", you'll have no problem thriving in this company.

Advice to Senior Management

Perhaps if the management team would listen to the people who are actually putting into place your concepts, the company would be a better entity.

Pros

Good Company to work for

Cons

difficulty advancing to upper positions

Advice to Senior Management

pay attention to suboordinates

Pros

Good Salary, Good benefits and one can learn from this Rocket Booster manufacturer.

Cons

Not much growth opportunities and work gets routine after few years

Advice to Senior Management

Concentrate on growth rather than cost cutting

Pros

good program to work on

Cons

too much politics and management layer

Advice to Senior Management

simplify the management structure and processes, improve efficiency and let employee contributes more in the growth of the company as well.

Pros

The pay was really good, there is a lot of opportunity for improvement right now, the people there will all retire soon so its a good time for younger employees.

Cons

The location was an hour away from the nearest big city, there have been many layoffs, the culture is the opposite of innovative, the departments are siloed so they don't work together well.

Advice to Senior Management

Have a better facilitation of new ideas, give employees more power to make choices.

Pros

The company was full of very good people who were generally personable and supportive.
The company supported personal growth, had a good education support. Benefits and time off were fine. This was a seriously cool product and lots of pride was possible being part of space!

Cons

Not a lot of innovation in the internal systems. Managment decisions seemed to be made from pride, rather than good business. Outside of the main products, good ideas were thrown around alot, but not often well executed. Non-engineers or non-stars were less respected. Poor business systems coordination between sections of the company made it frustrating to try to make a difference. Huge business downturn and multiple RIFs.

Advice to Senior Management

Think about ways to make all those smart people work together.

Pros

Opportunity to work on a unique system - manned solid rocket motors. Opportunity to work with some of the most talented design and manufacturing engineers in the world. Access to great laboratory capabilities. When good contracts are in place, compensation is excellent. Lovely area if you like the high desert and wide open spaces.

Cons

Upper management has not done well securing new contracts. While this may not have been entirely their fault given the political climate at NASA (Space System's biggest customer), the fact remains that the possibility of a plant shut-down for lack of business has been very real for several months. Additionally, with the 2-3X/year lay-offs, it's difficult to concentrate on the great work one could be doing.

Although the production plant is in a gorgeous location out in the desert northwest of Salt Lake City, it is within the greater Salt Lake Basin airshed, which has some of the worst winter-time air quality in the country. If you have asthma or other air-quality-related health issues, this could be a big problem.

For the record, I left ATK voluntarily three months ago to accept my "dream job" in a location where I have always wanted to live. I would have left even if business had been booming at ATK.

Advice to Senior Management

Please consider using some of the fabulous facilities and talent you have to diversify your business for today's more volatile market.