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Institute for Defense Analyses

Engaged employer

Smart colleagues and interesting projects with few downsides - Research Staff Member Institute for Defense Analyses Employee Review

4.0
7 July 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Very smart people across a range of STEM disciplines Freedom on what you get to work on Relative lack of office politics Interesting exciting projects available

Cons

Hard to think of a con. Every place has its own flavour and IDA CCS Bowie like anywhere else, isn't for anyone. I'm not positive either way about IDA's budget/hiring situation these days, with all the stuff going on in this general space. It also can be easy to find yourself getting lost when it comes to finding a good project if you are not careful. But even that is a bit of a reach.

Explore other reviews about Institute for Defense Analyses

5.0
26 Mar 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

High-quality mentorship Professional development Exposure to real-world problems

Cons

Restricted or classified work (not so much of a con)

2.0
24 Apr 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great retirement Good PTO & federal holidays

Cons

Finance “leadership” demonstrates a blatant disregard for its staff. Employee concerns are routinely dismissed, driving unnecessary turnover and leaving the organization in a position that feels increasingly unsustainable. Individuals are consistently pushed beyond reasonable limits, expected to carry the workload of two or three people without support. Performance issues go unaddressed, further compounding the strain on those who are already overextended. At the same time, leadership makes decisions in isolation—despite being new and lacking a meaningful understanding of day-to-day operations—while ignoring the input of those actually doing the work. There is a clear unwillingness to offer even basic accommodations, such as work-from-home flexibility, despite the level of effort and commitment employees continue to demonstrate.

2
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Institute for Defense Analyses Response
2mo
Thank you for the feedback and we acknowledge your concerns over turnover morale and churn within our Finance team. Your comments will be shared with the appropriate leadership for review. IDA has implemented several methods to express concerns and share your feedback. If those concerns need to be expressed outside of a staff member’s immediate supervisor or outside of your division/directorate, Human Resources Business Partners are always available to listen and support with actionable ideas or to funnel information to more senior leadership if necessary. Additionally, the Office of General Counsel is a resource, and if appropriate, Code of Conduct violations can be reported anonymously via IDA’s intranet. IDA considers teleworking to be a viable, flexible work option when both the employee and the employee’s position are suited to such an arrangement, and when that arrangement is consistent with IDA’s business/sponsor needs. Employees seeking telework arrangements as a workplace accommodation for medical reasons can submit an Accommodation/Adjustment Request Form to HR.
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