is a masters required to get into defense industry?

[NickEE]

I'm looking for some helpful advice for my best friend. He is deciding to leave a good Electrical engineering job in the Building Industry where he is very successful, and I want him to make an informed decision. He is leaving to get a masters in EE, thinking that it will be required to enter his dream industry - defense contractoring - like a Boeing, Lockheed or Northrop or a related government job. He has some unusual circumstances surrounding him that I don't think he's given full thought to, and I'm hoping someone can provide some input.
- He has a EE degree from a satellite/commuter school of Purdue, not the main campus at West Lafayette
- He is pursuing his Masters at the same school
- He has a very academic mind and wants to pursue a Masters to gain further knowledge
- He is 25 years old and has had 3 jobs in 2 years in the Engineering field (one job was 2 months long, the next 4 months long, and the current 1.5 years long)
- He was convicted of a theft felony when he was 18 years old (tried as an adult and not a juvenile crime) that he sought be to reduced to a theft misdeamonor after serving probation
I think he thinks that it will be easy to get that perfect job at that perfect company once he gets a masters degree, and I wonder if he's taking a big risk without considering what the real outcome could be if his dreams all don't come true. So my questions are the following:
- Do you need a Masters to enter the defense industry?
- Is the industry volatile and prone to lay off during a democratic administration?
- Will his "criminal" record prevent him from even getting a job offer?
- Does it look bad for him to be a "job hopper"?
- Aren't the top companies very selective and would seek to hire individuals with more of a pedrigee attached to the college they attended?
- How easy is it to get an internship with a defense contractor?
I apologize for the long post, but I'm truly seeking guidance. Please advise. Thank you.

 

[reidh]

No-You don't need a masters to enter the defense industry
Yes-It is volatile industry prone to layoffs. The industry has been strong for the past 6 years, and will eventually go sour again (just like it did after the cold war ended)
No-The criminal record won't help him, but if he is qualified it can be overlooked. They will definitely question it though, and its best not to hide anything about his past.
Yes-Job hopping is usually not a good sign
Yes-The top companies can be selective, but they don't just hire guys from MIT. I didn't attended a college with a great pedigree, but was able to land a job fairly easily.
Depends-The best way to find out is to ask around. I know Rolls Royce Aircraft Engines in in Indiana, that would be a good place to check before quitting his current job.

All of this being said, I would shop around for a new job before I quit my current job. Best case scenario is that he lands a job with a defense contractor without a Masters, then goes to school part time on the company's nickel to get his MSEE.

-Reidh

 

[IRstuff]

The criminal record is very problematic. I really don't know if he can qualify for a security clearance. If not, he's fubar for most engineering jobs in defense, particularly with the larger prime contractors.

Yes, he definitely smells like a job hopper. The fact that he's been at his latest job for probably less than a year before contemplating moving, be it MS degree or whatever is very problematic.

Top companies are often driven by the need for warm bodies rather than absolute quality. Even if that were not the case, most such companies shy away from academically oriented people, since most of the work is not basic research, but product development.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[NickEE]

What are the cons of having a government job? I've heard the pros - job security, pension, benefits, etc. My best friend wants to work for the government, and he's leaving a job in the private sector. He claims he wants to be challenged, doesn't like politics at work and doesn't want to get frustrated with work, be it the work or the people. Yet, from all I've heard, that's exactly what he's gravitating towards. I thought government jobs were full of politics and hostile work environments, and it's frustrating and not challenging because things move so slowly as a result of the bureaucracy and that many employees are just there to collect a pension and thus lack a sense of urgency and motivation. I realize there are exceptions to this, but on the whole, is this true? And wouldn't the defense industry be no different?

 

[Heckler]

I would say that the felony will make it next to impossible to get a security clearance. I saw guy get his secret clearnace aplication turned down because of something in his past that was withheld from the company during the hiring phase. It wasn't long after that that he left the company. If their is anything questionable in your past it will be found out in the security clearance.

Even defense programs that do not require a security clearance still do background checks.

The defense industry like the semi-conductor equipment industry is very cyclic. I've gotten caught in several of those cycles does that make me look like a job hopper? I think not but those first two jobs will send up red flags.

The top defense companies like to hire from the big name colleges but they will also hire from local colleges. After getting hired the only thing that really sets you apart is your job performance.

Heckler
Sr. Mechanical Engineer
SWx 2007 SP 3.0 & Pro/E 2001
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NVIDIA Quadro FX 1400
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(In reference to David Beckham) "He can't kick with his left foot, he can't tackle, he can't head the ball and he doesn't score many goals. Apart from that, he's all right." -- George Best

 

[KENAT]

The felony thing is hit or miss. I live in a town where the main employer is a Naval Base. There are "alledgedly" a number of people who work on the base with a felony. I'm assuming they need a clearance because every job on the base I applied for I got turned down because I can't yet get a clearance.

I worked in the defence field in the UK with only a bachelors. I've had companies here in the US that wanted to hire me but couldn't due to clearance issues.

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

 

[pyro]

The felony WILL be an issue for him. It is possible to get cleared, but when there are other just-as-qualified candidates w/o it I can guarantee that the Navy's security agency, NCIS, won't bother to go past that on his record.

 

[mshimko]

When interviewing and hiring, I always have two "top level" considrations:

- Is any of the candidates sufficiently qualified;
- Am I getting the "best" available candidate.

Many times I've left vacancies un-filled because I didn't see sufficiently qualified candidates. If I had an "otherwise well qualified" candidate who had a criminal record, what would I do? I suppose I'd think and discuss the candidate with others, including legal and HR, investigate and find out as much as I can, and discuss him some more, and eventually I/we May (or may not) decide the candidat simply isn't worth the additional effort and risk.