Pros
The employees. Good people working passionately to do excellent work. Terrific management.
Cons
The company has been going downhill since going public. And I'm just as guilty because I voted to go public. My greed (which did not pay off). That decision was my worst career decision. Now everything is about increasing the stockholders share value. How is this being done? First - the company is being split into 2 companies later this year (2013). The pretense is that we will no longer have a conflict of interest while bidding on projects. The reality is that wall street loves it when a company splits into 2. Also, and this is the reason that I am departing SAIC after almost 15 years...the medical benefits have been reduced to the point that it's no longer beneficial to my family. For example, if you have a family you have to pay not only your monthly premium (which is high by the way), you will also need to pay $3000 cash to hit the deductible. After the deductible is met you pay a percentage of most bills, whether in the plan or not. Copays are all gone. Prescriptions are the worst. If you don't use the company's recommendations on prescriptions you are out of luck. It's going to cost you big time bucks. Reduction in medical benefits for employees will definitely increase the share value. If you are young, healthy, and single with no family, this plan is pretty good because you will never need it. If you have a family, or are over 35, then this plan is going to cost you. So what is happening is a lot of the senior people (Senior Engineers for example) are leaving. This means lower salaries that the company will have to pay which will increase the stock price. So, the stock price will increase in the short term while further damaging the company (e.g., brain drain). But, the CEO (which are now rotating every 3 years) will most likely meet his goal for the company and (and this is public knowledge) will receive a total of about 10 million in cash, bonus and incentives. He will rotate out and the next one will rotate in to make their mark. Am I bitter? Yes. But more than that I am sad. Sad for the decline of a once terrific company. My advice - and this is so sad for me...find a better company to establish your career.