AECOM

Pros: The health benefits package is pretty solid, and the 401k match is okay for a big corporate company like AECOM. As a Civil Engineer, the hybrid work setup from the Los Angeles office was a real perk.
Cons: The pay for an engineering consultant here just isn't competitive. My salary felt low for the amount of work, and raises are pretty minimal. Don't count on big bonuses.
Advice to Management: Seriously re-evaluate the compensation structure for all engineering consultant roles, especially entry to mid-level. You're losing good people because the pay isn't keeping up with the market in places like Los Angeles.

Pros: You get to work on really big infrastructure projects, which is awesome for a civil engineer. There's a lot of exposure if you're keen to learn. The company is huge, so there's always something going on.
Cons: Sometimes, senior leadership feels really far removed from the day-to-day work in the Los Angeles office. It's tough when project management changes direction often without much warning. Communication from the top isn't always clear, which can be frustrating.
Advice to Management: Focus on better training for project managers to improve team cohesion and direction. Senior leaders need to engage more with teams to understand the actual challenges on the ground for engineering roles.

Pros: The health insurance is pretty good, and there's a decent 401k match which is nice for a big corporate company. As a Civil Engineer, you get access to a lot of robust plans.
Cons: Salary for civil engineering roles feels low compared to industry averages in the Los Angeles office. Raises are pretty small, so it's tough to really grow your earnings here.
Advice to Management: Re-evaluate salary bands for all engineering roles, especially considering current market rates in major cities. Fair compensation will improve retention and morale.

Pros: For a large engineering firm like AECOM, the project pipeline is usually solid. As a Civil Engineer in the Los Angeles office, I've seen pretty steady work even when the market was a bit shaky. It's a big corporate player, so widespread layoffs aren't super frequent.
Cons: However, job security can feel project-dependent sometimes. If a big infrastructure project wraps up, you might worry about the next one. The company also moves people between departments a lot, which can be unsettling. Management doesn't always communicate future plans clearly.
Advice to Management: Focus on retaining talent with clear career paths, not just project hopping. Improve communication from senior leadership, especially regarding future project outlook and how it impacts individual roles. Better support for the teams on big infrastructure projects would help.

Pros: You'll work on huge infrastructure projects here, which is pretty cool as a Civil Engineer. Teams are usually decent and I've learned a ton from senior staff. It's a global engineering firm so there's always something new.
Cons: The culture can feel pretty corporate and slow to change, especially in the Los Angeles office. Sometimes it's hard to get your ideas heard. There's a lot of red tape, which gets frustrating when you're trying to move fast.
Advice to Management: Try to empower project teams more and cut down on bureaucracy. Recognize individual contributions better, especially within the hybrid work setup.

Pros: I've gained solid experience on major infrastructure projects. The pay and benefits are decent for a large engineering firm. There's some WFH flexibility with their hybrid model, which is nice when you can use it.
Cons: Work-life balance here is a constant challenge. As a Civil Engineer, you're expected to put in long hours, especially nearing project deadlines. It's hard to avoid working past 5 PM in the Los Angeles office, which impacts personal time.
Advice to Management: Management should really look at staffing levels and project timelines to reduce the need for constant overtime. More focus on employee well-being would go a long way for Civil Engineers.

Pros: As a Civil Engineer here, you usually have solid work thanks to the steady flow of infrastructure development projects. Being a large corporate entity, AECOM gets a lot of big public sector contracts, which means less risk of sudden layoffs. There's always something to do, so you generally feel pretty secure.
Cons: Job security can feel project-specific sometimes. If your project wraps up or funding changes, you might get moved around or worry about your spot. It's not a small startup, so things can shift without much warning if a big engineering consulting contract falls through.
Advice to Management: Try to be more transparent about project pipeline changes and how they impact staffing for engineering consulting roles. Help employees feel less like cogs in a machine by offering more clarity on long-term career paths.

Pros: You definitely get to work on some huge civil engineering projects here, which is great for building your resume. Plus, the hybrid work option in the Los Angeles office is a lifesaver for work-life balance. Benefits are okay for a big corporate company.
Cons: The company culture feels pretty top-down and a bit stiff sometimes. It's not the most collaborative environment, especially for new engineers trying to get their ideas heard. Career progression for mid-level Project Manager roles seems really slow, which can be frustrating.
Advice to Management: Try to foster a more open and collaborative company culture, especially for younger engineering staff. Focus on clear paths for career growth to retain talent.

Pros: The AECOM Los Angeles office has solid people on my team. I've learned a ton working on diverse infrastructure projects. It's a stable engineering consulting firm with decent benefits.
Cons: Company culture feels very top-down, not much employee input for us as Civil Engineers. Bureaucracy can slow down even small things. WFH was good, but the hybrid work model now isn't always smooth.
Advice to Management: Listen more to the project-level engineers. Streamline internal processes to empower teams, especially with the hybrid work setup.