Engineering Firm vs Government Position 4

[ASTMB7]

Hello,

What is your opinion or experience of working as an engineer in engineering firms vs working in a government position in terms of work satisfaction, technical challenge and quality of life?

Furthermore, is the increased pay of engineering firms typically worth the absence of rock solid retirement pension plan?

 

[1503-44]

You forgot job security. Other than the above and that, you've drilled down to the important stuff.

I have not worked for any government org, but I have worked on many gov projects with engineering contractors. Hard to say if there was any real other difference from that perspective.

Job security at large engineering companies is measured in the general sense by "backlog" and in my case, the price of oil. Luckily I managed to always have a job when I wanted to work, but it took some scrambling from time to time, several huge suitcases and some big airfreight bills. Chasing after the money has its drawbacks and its moments.

Now retired, I can more appreciate the benefits of stability, roots and a secure and early retirement, but I dont think I would do a second round any differently. It seems that I wasn't made to stay in the same place long enough grow roots anyway. "Have gun, will travel."

 

[WARose]

I've always been in the private sector....but engineers I have known (that have worked in both) have always said that there are pros and cons of each. One (unsaid so far) is much more reasonable schedules. In government work, they kind of go at the pace they want to. On the other hand, in the private sector, the client says "jump" and you say "how high?".

I just got a call last week (for example) where the only way to meet the guy's schedule essentially meant me sending design drawings to the steel fabricator as we were talking. (And I hadn't even started looking at his project until that point.) From what I understand: you don't get those kinds of calls in government.

 

[ASTMB7]

On the other hand, in the private sector, the client says "jump" and you say "how high?".

Haha! I agree. I work in an engineering firm. It provides me with plenty of interesting technical challenges. However I sometimes work 60 hours per week.

 

[phamENG]

No idea about Canadian government engineers, but here where I am in the States NAVFAC (Naval Facilities Command) seems to be the largest government entity that hires structural engineering consultants. They seem to be shifting a good amount of work back in-house. So it's sounding more like getting technical challenges with a good schedule and good benefits/job security. It's almost tempting, but the pay potential is still a whole lot higher in the private sector and the work is more varied.

WARose - I've met plenty of clients who would fire me for not anticipating the height of the required jump...or even if they came to me and I wasn't already in the air...clients...can't live with 'em, can't shoot 'em...

 

[Rabbit12]

The rock solid retirement pension plan comment got me thinking. Are the government retirement pensions really rock solid? Any instances where employees have lost them or had them reduced? I've heard horror stories in the private sector like that.

 

[IRstuff]

I think government pensions are funded until they're not; it's just that the "not" occurs with catastrophic events that obviate any parochial concern about one's pension, while commercial pensions are less robust in that regard.

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[1503-44]

Mine was great. Then Enron went bust. Then it wasn't.

 

[Ron]

The company I worked for was private with stock options. Invested heavily. Net worth went south and I had no recourse. Am still recovering on my own after 25 years. Government retirement would look pretty good right now!....on the flip side...I enjoy what I do and will likely not ever retire unless for health issues!

 

[NorthCivil]

I just got a call last week (for example) where the only way to meet the guy's schedule essentially meant me sending design drawings to the steel fabricator as we were talking. (And I hadn't even started looking at his project until that point.)

I used to oblige this kind of crap, now I very rarely do. unless this was an established good client in a one off bind, I just cannot serve this type of "drop everything you are doing right this instant" type of client demand.

I have worked at a variety of different outfits. The engineers that serve these customers well, attract more of these types of customers, and the customers begin to rely on this type of service. The cycle reinforces itself.

To boot, these kinds of customers never pay anywhere near as fast as they expect service to be provided! and of course dont want to pay a premium for service on demand.

I find clients who are good in one way are often good in many ways, and vice versa. I prefer to work with professionals. Or maybe I'm just lucky.

 

[LittleInch]

I suppose for me this is like working for a single distribution /operating company or maybe a quasi government gas transmission and distribution vs consultant engineering.

I think I could have been happy in both as you make of it what you can, but in terms of salary, type and location of work there is no comparison.

sure you ride the highs and lows a bit more doing consultancy work so if you like the surfing analogy then you can ride lots of waves in lots of places and occasionally hit Coral or just ride calm, small to medium waves in the same bay. And then someone pays for your for your board when you give it up.

given the governments of today though, it's not so much the pension as whether the job certainty and type of job is there for 30-40 yrs anymore. And all for ~25% less than outside work.

suits some people and not others.

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[dik]

I did all my undergraduate work in hydraulics and hydrology, and after graduation found out that I could only work in government jobs (situation over 50 years back). I didn't want that... personal quirk.

Rather than think climate change and the corona virus as science, think of it as the wrath of God. Feel any better?

-Dik

 

[dik]

I'm in the same boat... I enjoy what I do. I'll probably 'pop off' at my desktop...

Rather than think climate change and the corona virus as science, think of it as the wrath of God. Feel any better?

-Dik

 

[DayRooster]

I work for a consultant that mainly works on government work. I used to work for consulting companies that served private companies and I agree with the complaints above about unreasonable client expectations. I did take a slight pay cut to work for my current company but could not be happier. Hours are more aligned with 40 hours a week with utilization expectations being more reasonable. No government petition for me but I likely get slightly higher pay than a true government job…

 

[ASTMB7]

I feel that alot of people on this forum come from the private sector, since alot of engineering technical work are done by the private sector in North America. Also this forum is a great ressource when presented with new or difficult challenges, which typically happens in the private sector. In government position, a whole department will focus on one task. For instance, a department can specialize in the inspection of bridges, while another will be specialized in the design of superstructures supporting road signs. The engineers working in government can easily reach for a colleague in the same department that faced the same problems instead of having to figure the problems by themselves or reach out for a forum.

 

[LittleInch]

I don wonder how motivated anyone is when they've just designed their 1,247th road sign structure though....

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[ASTMB7]

I agree with you LittleInch. And at this point it can become a golden prison cell. However I believe it is fairly easy to change of job position within the organisation.

 

[teeman]

After graduation, I was interviewed by a number of private firms and eventually hired by a government agency that was expanding its construction program. I had wanted to do structural work, but was hired into a different discipline. When I said I did not have experience in that discipline, I was told, "That's ok, you will learn." In an odd twist, I became responsible for supervising the work of the engineers who had been hired for the private sector jobs I had interviewed for. I will admit, they were more qualified for those positions than I was.

The pay has never been equal to that of the private sector. I saw a greater variety of engineering challenges than I would have, if I worked in the private sector.

Many of the private sector engineers I have worked with were and are exceptional. Others were unable to remain with their firms long enough to become aware of and learn from their mistakes.

Quality control has always been an issue. In the current state of the industry, professionalism appears to be discounted in both the private and public sectors.

 

[dik]

@LI: For me, it's the project that comes up every 3 or 4 months that make it 'fun'.

Rather than think climate change and the corona virus as science, think of it as the wrath of God. Feel any better?

-Dik

 

[ATSE]

I have worked as a public works employee, a private sector employee on public works, and a private sector employee on private work.
Is your work interesting, are you working with smart and experienced people, are you decently compensated, and do you have a good boss? Those are the big questions for any job.

I have threatened my college age sons with serious negative consequence if they get a gov't job within 5 years of graduating college. Usually, a gov't job as a first or second job is not a good way to start your engineering career.

Some gov't jobs check all the boxes, but that's rare. So much gov't work is a waste of time, and consequently damaging to an engineer's experience record.
Regarding retirement and pensions, if you're not very good with retirement planning, get an expert to help you. Pensions are great, of course. I've never met a pensioner that didn't like their pension. But if a pension is a very big issue for you, then you're already halfway there to being a gov't embed.