r/defensecontracting

I was at a meeting of local defense contractors in the northeast. This room was filled with people in their 60s who were talking about the problem acquiring new talent to replace an aging workforce. Lots of their best people are retiring and they need to fill those jobs.

Some of their outreach included events at local high schools and universities as well as media on local television. I surmise most of Gen Z is not watching the local news.

We have a lot of people here trying to get into defense contracting so lets open a discussion on how we can bridge the gap between these established government contractors and a young, enthusiastic workforce.

First, are any of our members located in the Northeast? Specifically NY, RI, Connecticut, and NJ. If so, I can publish local events hosted by these companies. There has been significant expansion of the defense manufacturing base in this area and they need people.

Grumman used to have a big facility here so there are quite a few people locally that have contacts with the primes, as well as great local support for contractors.

If you're just starting out in defense contracting, tell us about your experience trying to find your way.

Hi Everyone,
I'm looking to move to a new role and want to target companies that offer a significant pay bump for an active TS/SCI.

I've heard some big tech firms like Microsoft and Amazon (AWS) offer substantial premiums—sometimes around 15% or higher, or fixed bonuses ranging from $15k to $45k just for holding the clearance.

Aside from MSFT and AMZN, which other companies-especially in big tech, cloud infrastructure, Devops, cyber or specialized defense are known for high clearance-specific pay?

Does anyone in here work for the federal government and sell to the federal government?

I was told it is possible so long as you have written approval from your supervisor to sell to the federal government after work hours, and they’re not selling to their own agency that they are employed by.

Wondering, does anybody do this?

Most enablement content is about social selling on LinkedIn. That doesn't work for the Department of Defense. What are you guys using to enable your teams?

I’m considering a move to GDIT. what are the benefits like, short term and maternity? is there a waiting period before you’re eligible for these? how is the work life balance and company culture?

I’m wondering if anyone is creating Claude skills for RFP or RFI responses. I’ve already made skills for resumes and past performance writeups, but I was wondering if anyone has built skills for technical approaches or staffing plans.
I was wondering other use cases like capture and business development.

Hello All,
I am set to join a defense contractor in a new role. They said they are just “waiting on this surge funding” so that they can fund these new roles. I’m sure this is a normal thing, but do any of you specifically know what surge funding she’s talking about, and when that is paid out? Or is it all relative?

Thanks!

Hello. I (27m) have recently accepted a position with a contractor at Soto Cano Airbase in Honduras. It's a yearlong contract, and honestly pretty excited about this opportunity. I know the base has been around since the 80s, but I wanted to ask if anyone in this group had worked there before and what their experience was?

I am fluent in Spanish and know how to be aware of my surroundings. That being said, I still am horrible at packing. Can anyone that has been down there speak from experience about things that they wish they would have brought and/or things that would have been better left in the states? What areas in Comayagua are the best to check out? Where should I steer clear of? What is the gym scene like? What is the night life like?

Any feedback/general advice is greatly appreciated.

Hey everyone,

Looking for some insight from anyone familiar with Lockheed Martin Space hiring timelines or internal processes.

I recently completed a great interview earlier this week for an RF related Integration & Test Engineer II role in Colorado, and was told they were planning to interview one more candidate before making a decision within the next couple of weeks.

At the same time, I’ve been informed I’ll be receiving an offer from another defense contractor for a Systems Engineer II in Arizona in the next day or two, and I’ll likely need to make a decision within a few days of receiving it.

I’ve also already been in contact with the recruiter I worked with and sent a follow-up email to keep them updated on my situation.

My main question is:

- Is it realistic to expect Lockheed to accelerate a decision in this situation?
- Or is their process typically fixed enough that I should not rely on hearing back quickly, even after communicating my timeline?

I would prefer the Lockheed role as working in the space sector of defense is my dream, but trying to make a smart decision with limited time.

Appreciate any insight, especially from current or former employees.

Thanks