Make sure you do DEEP research about the ethics culture of the company
I think anyone in a senior position within this company (other than the VP's etc) would struggle to recommend it to recent graduates they care for. This company kills careers, with impunity.
They preach ethics, but in my experience, they don't practice them - you're required to go to ethics training at least once a year, and you're told over and over again that management will support you if you report an ethics problem - the core message is 'if you wouldn't like to see it on the front page of the New York Times, report it'. This doesn't appear to be supported by my experience. At the core, my opinion is that this company is a seething nepotistic hotpot of moral and ethical corruption. Thing deeply about your options before associating yourself with this company - I believe it is a sick company.
Just one example of what I personally experienced - on one recent project, I was directly instructed to break the law of the country (to maintain schedule) by a very senior manager - he was a 'Bechtel Veteran', and had been involved at a very high level, for many years, in the lucrative middle east operations of the company.
I (carefully and sensitively) informed this person that what he was asking me to do was breaking the law and that I had a less expensive and more suitable solution in any case. He yelled at me to stop being obstructive (in front of my colleagues) and then I was taken aside, my office door closed and he preceded to berate me and not-so-subtly threaten to 'have m
Prosthere are a minority of excellent, supportive managers.
Consa career destroyer if you get the wrong project / individual.
Engineers are assigned to people with no engineering degree
My experience with Bechtel is that they will assign engineers to "supervisors" who have no engineering degree or background. They pitch jobs as engineering jobs in the interview, talk about you getting your PE license, and when you show up to work, you find out your supervisor is just a high school grad with no engineering work experience and the job is something like going out into the plant to collect nameplate information or calling building superintendents to get access for a client's technicians. These are tasks they want engineers to do ALL day. It's easy money and they are paying you ok if not great, but you are not learning anything useful and when they lay you off, you have no good engineering experience to sell yourself to other companies.
I'd only consider Bechtel as a last resort. In this economy, they can keep you employed for awhile if you are willing to go all over the country at a moment's notice. But if you are serious about developing as an engineer, Bechtel is a bad place to work. They don't understand or respect the engineering profession .....engineers are essentially used to sell work to clients, but Bechtel thinks it is ok to misrepresent jobs in an interview. They told me that the company had review courses for the PE exam during work at the company, but that turns out to be review courses for the EIT /FE exam and I already passed that one. The only thing they had for the PE was a DVD you could borrow which wasn't useful. The man who hired me didn't e
Prosthey pay better than many companies in dc metro
Consmisrepresent jobs in the interview, not a serious place for engineers to work
Great place to work if you don't mind being disconnected from your phone/social media
I absolutely love working here. You can't bring your cell phone on site, which can make some people feel a bit disconnected. I actually enjoy it since I don't have the distractions of silly conversations throughout the day (if it's important, people know my work number).
The company loves training their employees, and I love taking advantage of any training class that I think may help me do my job better. Not only are technical training classes offered, but tons of professional development courses. The company runs the site much like a college campus with clubs and volunteer activities.
Because the facilities are involved with cradle to grave operations of naval reactors, there's a wide variety of jobs available. I have coworkers who bounce around from department to department every several years or so.
There's also the choice of working a 9/80 schedule, which is great! I love having every other Friday off. Part time employment is also available. I had a coworker who was working part time for a couple of years prior to retirement, and many women I sit near have stated that they worked part-time for a year or so after child birth.
Everyone I work with is always extraordinarily helpful. I was given a technical mentor from day one and have since gotten a couple more mentors for different aspects of my career, professional, and personal development. My manager (and management chain) are incredibly supportive of my work and are willing to stand behind sound
Pros9/80 schedule, flexible start, benefits, HSA contributions, challenging work
Great stability, good benefits, very slow advancement but great learning opportunites
A couple of really good notes. It may take awhile to get into but once you have started working there the job security is extremely stable as long you adhere to their safety and security policies. They work a 9/80 schedule and allow to flex your time very easily. Except for extenuating circumstances, management will allow you to flex your time so the work/life balance is very nice. The pay/benefits are better than average for the area especially considering the changes happening to our current medical system. The paid/medical time off is exceptional. The nature of the work is very interesting and well funded. The culture is nice and there are very good growth and development opportunities. There are many talented people. It is a very nice environment to grow and learn and become an expert if interested.
A couple of bad notes: The biggest complaint is usually about management. The atmosphere and structure is extremely conservative with changes only every coming from upper management. First line managers seem to be stuck in the middle and usually have very little authority. It is a very slow paced atmosphere. Safety and security can become overwhelming and procedures are always changing making them difficult to keep up with. Positions always seem to be changing around you. Newer employees are usually looked at like it is their first job no matter how much industry experience they have. Once you are hired, advancement in position is extremely slow. They company has recently
2.0
Project Administrator | Houston, TX | Feb 11, 2013
TOXIC Work Environment !
When I started as a Project Admin in 2010, things were good. I enjoyed working with a handful of people and most of the other admins on the project were nice but their were a few who were set in their OLD ways which was not good but I managed to tolerate them. When the admins got a new (undeserving & unexperienced lead admin) things took a turn for the worst. Before long there was no longer a team feel and it became divided amongst clicks (High School behavior). Our work environment became toxic due to Favoritism, RUDE people, Ugly remarks made daily and Micro managing at its worst. Myself and many others are/became disgusted how a new undeserving Team Leader and her little followers turned what was once a descent work environment into an everyday nightmare. The sad thing is, no matter how many complaints were made regarding the bad environment, management was so shady they sat by and let the monster do whatever it wanted but I guess that's what happens when certain people cry a false river everyday. Before long it seemed like an institution where certain people wanted to enforce unwritten laws but yet they can't abide by the rules themselves (excessive smoke breaks etc). The office polotics are ridiculous here amongst certain admins especially. There are too many shady people in the admin group and the very few GOOD people there are, they are the ones who are portrayed to be the bad apples which is far from true. The few good admins are the only ones who equally support each
Prosgreat building location
Consparking situation, very long elevator lines, ridiculous office politics
My stay with Bechtel was enjoyable both as a daily employee and for the reason my salary was excellent. It afforded me the opportunity to work with highly professional people.
Like Pan Disc Music Corporation my position gave me wide latitude of purpose and much freedom to coordinate events leading to a goal being accomplished.
A project was to update the Corporate Board's story board of tiles that coincided with standard project management procedures set forth by the Project Management Institute.
It entailed a trip to the DOE Library to study all procedures and protocols. Then I reported my findings to my immediate supervisor and the Project Manager for Bechtel for them to disposition changes that I found in incongruent. After that I coordinated with the photography department the making of the new tiles and contacted maintenance to install the new tiles once the process was approved such as color and size and readability.
It took days of reading all the volumes of PMI and then about two weeks until the project was completed. In the meantime there were other ongoing projects and daily time managment.
From my first day at Bechtel the Project Risk Manager was my mentor to learning and joining PMI as a member and attend meetings. It was these months that prepared me to update the Corporate Board tiles. There were some 85 of them.
My co-workers were fine people and they gave me projects both large and small to execute for them. The P
Once Titan Falling to the Reality of Costs over Quality and Schedule
I had the fortune of working for Bechtel Oil, Gas & Chemicals (OG&C) during the rising popularity of LNG Projects. Unfortunately, OG&C was increasingly reliant on these large projects to maintain and build their workforce. Even before the COVID-19 crisis, staff was being reduced due to clients being hesitant to make Final Investment Decisions for this year.
There is also a trend in the industry to outsource engineering to overseas offices (e.g. India). I don't foresee this trend ever ending, which will essentially permanently reduce the amount of workers required in the US. The general thought around the office is that an 80/20 split between overseas and U.S. are the targets. Think about that for a moment. I don't see a 5-fold increase in projects any time soon, so that leaves employees like me hanging out to dry.
There is a long history of nepotism, cronyism, sexism, favoritism, racism, and any other "ism" you can think of at Bechtel. Regardless of what is spoken by whichever Bechtel is in charge at the moment, the reality for the everyday worker is the same: if you're not into political maneuvering at work, your job will eventually be in serious jeopardy. I was able to avoid being laid off until this year, but a lot of that was by luck. I consistently received excellent annual reviews, but I knew I was never part of the inner circles that would allow me to move ahead. There is a certain ethnic group at minority that is seen as having a domineering presence c
ProsLarge projects, good benefits (health insurance, PTO, and 401k)
ConsPolitical games that you're not likely to win; industry moving to outsourcing most work
5.0
Environmental Engineer | Houston, TX | Jan 4, 2018
I prefer a fast moving workplace that allows interaction with all professional disciplines, managers and clients.
I am a dedicated professional engineer with unique skills that allowed me to advance very quickly in all my career opportunities. I spent about 40 years in environmental engineering and the last 5 years in the EPC of large energy facilities around the world. So, my skills and expertise are extraordinary.
In my last job, I learned the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) business and design production techniques. We worked 9 hour days for 9 days and had every other Friday off. I often stayed longer to make sure deliverables were completed on time. My extensive experience as an Environmental Specialist allowed me to perform tasks not normally undertaken by a design engineer.
I want to be treated with the respect and benefits due a hard working, leader and performer deserves. I like managers who are demanding but fair and aren't inhibited when it comes to recognizing superior effort. My last employer had a cash rewards for short term technical achievement which was an excellent motivator.
I prefer to work with engineers committed to producing quality deliverables on schedule.
The most difficult thing I faced was dealing with my client counterparts who were inexperienced, non-team players who were more interested in their career development and not the efficient execution of the assigned project.
I thoroughly enjoyed mentoring young engineers. To see them move from new graduates to producers over a year to a year and a half's time is very gratifying
ProsWhere people are valued and the ability to mentor is encouraged
ConsWhere the project/deliverables/schedule are the only priority to the detriment of staff.
Great Benefits - Poor Job Security Unless you are willing to Relocate Constantly
A typical day at work involved working on one or more deliverables as a system responsible engineer. It was very easy to plan everything, a charge code was easy to come by, and because of the planning, overtime was rarely needed. I got to experience the licensing side of nuclear plant design, and I loved it. It was great to dig into the regulatory guidance and figure out why things were designed a certain way. Management was very in touch on my project. There were monthly celebrations (birthdays, milestones such as obtaining an FE or PE, company or project anniversaries), and the project manager tried very hard to ensure everyone was treated like family. And they succeeded. The people on the project were awesome. When I got laid off, it was the toughest thing I've ever done to leave those people. The hardest part of the job was the inter-discipline interfaces. There were a couple of disciplines who were very contentious (mechanical vs. I&C) and engineering was very contentious with licensing because many of the engineers came from a fossil background where licensing and regulatory oversight aren't part of the job. My experience was all nuclear, so I had little trouble understanding the whys and wherefores. The most enjoyable part of the job was the people. It was just a great group of individuals and it really was a family. I miss my time there. The benefits were amazing (up to 5 weeks of PTO if you're willing to buy a week, great healthcare, every other Friday
ProsAwesome benefits
ConsVolatility in the work causing frequent layoffs
1.0
Contract Administrator | Scoville, ID | Jul 17, 2013
Waste of Life
Worst place to work. All new grads will quit after the first year. Don't work here. I've never seen more religious discrimination, sexual discrimination, company is hypocritical, policies are constantly changing and the training is terrible, you'll work with a bunch of people who won't retire because they have no life outside of work because you spend 13-14 hours working (that includes the 1-1.5 hr commuting to a hidden place out in the desert away from civilization) locked in a gated fence with no place to go and nothing to do. Management will be lenient with timecards and don't know if you are even there half the time. Then management will get demoted for signing off false timecard and you'll get fired. The only pros are the benefits. The place makes you so tired that you have no life. This is the most depressing place to work and it ruins families because of the rumors. You never get to see your family and have no time off to have a young child. The vacation/sick time policy is terrible now and if you get sick, they will convince you that there is no way you can miss work. Everyone goes to work sick and gets everyone else sick. You'll learn only what you need to get your job done. There is no learning anything new because it is the most boring place to work. If you have any interest in a family/social life, you are not mormon, and want to have a successful career path this is no place for you. It's a little job that pays good but makes no sense because you have no custome
The best way to describe a typical day would be a 4 am wake up, getting dressed (work clothes,boot,etc. were always well supplied at Bechtel) then making my way down to the mess hall for breakfast (love the Continental). Upon finishing breakfast I would quickly go to the bus line and take my seat I was always sure to be early as many of my co-workers would always wait for the last minute to disembark and this created a large amount of congestion.
Upon arriving on site I had plenty of time before pre-start. This was my favourite part of the day as it gave me a chance to chat with other employees and learn more about them.
Around 6.20 am I made my way to pre-start. This was always an interesting part of the day. Most supervisors were excellent at pre-start because I found (with their many years of experience) any questions arising from the daily announcements were always answered in a timely fashion and interpreted so all employees had a clear understanding of what was expected of them.
After pre-start was finished and all employees were given their daily work schedule and formed into work groups, each employee would assist in writing the STARRT card (some people did not like this process, but I thought they were great in helping me remember the names of my co-workers when I first arrived on site). When the STARRT card was completed the day's work would begin.
The most enjoyable part of every day (especially when working with riggers) was the strong focus on team work an
ProsObtained heaps of experience
Cons28 days was a little too long to be in camp
Questions And Answers about Bechtel
How are the working hours at Bechtel?
Asked Jul 9, 2016
Hours were cut to 48 per week.
Answered Mar 1, 2020
I work 8-10 hours i dey
Answered Apr 8, 2019
Why did you leave your job at Bechtel?
Asked Mar 15, 2017
Bechtel is a good place to work. They expect advanced skills when you get hired. Most people are great to work with. Although It does not take a genious to figure out they need to work on their HR department. They will leave you high and dry when you have important issues with both your on-boarding and your off-boarding.
Answered Nov 10, 2020
I was laid off and replaced with three people who had little experience ( I had 36 years) but were willing to work for rediculously lower wages. Also, the replacements were all "yes" men (and women).I didn't want to leave, but the company I hired in with no longer exists: the have lost their moral compass. It was best considering the person I had to work under.
Answered Jun 11, 2019
What is the interview process like at Bechtel?
Asked Jul 11, 2016
There is no interview process for industrial workers. If you have documentation to prove your experience as an industrial craftsman then you get hired and work the project to completion.
Answered Jan 19, 2021
Phone interview
Answered Nov 20, 2020
How do you feel about going to work each day at Bechtel?
Asked Aug 10, 2017
hours, pay and people make it a good place to work.
Answered Mar 9, 2021
I felt so good working at Bechtel a vision of true teamwork of diverse members all who of different races .
Answered Dec 24, 2020
What is the work environment and culture like at Bechtel?
Asked Jul 11, 2016
I had the honor of working in the Architecture Division of Bechtel Engineering, at the world HQ in SF, during the 1980's. The work culture was what it needed to be in order to accomplish the massive scale, exceedingly complex projects that we had underway in a dozen different countries. Long before the advantages of the Internet, we relied on human innovation, vision, commitment, communication and integrity to get the job done. When hired by Bechtel, I was a female, PhD, highly respected in my field. When I departed Bechtel, to join NASA on the ISS design team, my excellent professional reputation had expanded from national to international. Thanks to Bechtel.
Answered Apr 18, 2019
The work environment was cutthroat the upper supervision was always backstabbing and sarcastic worst Bechtel job I'd been on out of 4
