Pros
This company has a very good work life balance policy. Working remotely is encouraged as long as it doesn’t inhibit job performance which does absolute wonders for those with difficult commutes. PTO schedule is very good, and the increase from 3 to 4 weeks happens relatively quickly. Holidays are minimal (6/year+Office + Personal). Company culture is for the most part very supportive and promotes a family-oriented environment which may differ from office to office. Fun events will be office specific and my particular office was uneventful but others I've visited weren't. Career growth and mentoring is top-notch for entry level engineers, and staff recognition helps disincentive firm hopping (seemingly more common in younger staff). CDM Smith is a great place to start a career with a plethora of easily accessible brilliant engineers.
Cons
Salary structure at CDM seems to be industry standard if but for the most part lower when looking at equivalent high quality environmental firms. Benefits package is really good but 401k is sadly unimpressive at equal to or less than 50% of a 6% personal contribution. Bonus pool only applicable to titled staff (10+ years experience) This is a consulting firm and so utilization is emphasized strongly to ensure profits are high. Too strong of an emphasis on UT has resulted in two issues on opposite sides of the spectrum: 1) fear of job security in a cyclical industry when work may be low, 2) work hoarding to the point where you must work excessive hours - many times unbilled, and unrecognized Although yearly review indicated high performance and the company makes an effort to highlight top performing individuals, raises do not reflect this in my experience, a pat on the back can only feel good for so long. Corporate is distant from the rest of the firm and this seems to cause a disagreement between staff on new policies, however the new CEO seems to be making strides to adjust this and close this gap.
