FAA reviews

Balance between technical engineering type work and big picture regulation work. Good career advancement. Some employees (like myself) have outside industry experience and expertise. Industry takes you seriously and listens. You get to know some of the most experienced people in industry. Great benefits and the pay is not on the GS system, so you are generally paid more competitively towards industry rates. Life balance is good.

I worked within the Office of Acquisition and Business Services as a Contract Specialist. During my 4 years with the agency, I had mixed experiences with management, as I was moved to different branches throughout my tenure. For the first two years, I couldn't have been happier with my management team. They were supportive of my career development; empowered me to make real business decisions on my own; and flexible with my schedule. I could honestly say that my first supervisor (who's still currently at FAA) was the best supervisor I've ever had. My Division Manager (second-level supervisor) was also amazing, although she is no longer with the agency. So, A++ for management during the first 2 years of my time at FAA. In general, the FAA was very supportive of training and employee development. They paid for numerous training courses and even paid for some of my MBA courses. Work schedules are very flexible, allowing for telework and "regular days off" (i.e., you work 9-hour days throughout the week and then get every other Monday or Friday off). In general there was a great culture. Co-workers were always willing to help each other and sought advice from one another. There was a strong "teaching" culture - senior employees helped junior ones learn how to excel in their roles. Also, authority was pushed down to the lowest levels possible. Once you gained trust with your management team, they gave you new and challenging assignments and allowed you to handle them the way you saw fit. Within two years, I got a Contracting Officer's warrant, which allowed me to sign contracts on behalf of the FAA. This gave me a lot of satisfaction and pride (and accountability!) in my work. Management always recognized hard workers and praised them publicly and in written emails. They made sure to compensate extra efforts with cash awards and/or time off awards. Employees who work hard are promoted fairly. They certainly made you feel appreciated when it's warranted.