If all work and no play makes you a dull boy or girl, it may be time to pack up your cleared career (and your skis, and your bike), and head to Salt Lake City, UT. Salt Lake City is an urban hub in the foot of the Wasatch Mountains, with an international airport and proximity to five national parks. Nature and culture are on display in Salt Lake City, and a growing number of government and cleared job opportunities, as well. Dubbed the Silicon Slopes, a growing number of tech incubators, entrepreneurs, and start-ups are also helping to bring new cybersecurity and tech jobs to the region. Boeing, L3Harris and Northrop Grumman help to employ approximately 30,000 defense and aerospace professionals. From data centers to defense and aerospace, Salt Lake City is home to a growing number of cleared careers.
Benefits of Working in Salt Lake City and the silicon slopes
The cost of living in Salt Lake City is significantly lower than the coasts. And the role of nature and recreation cannot be underplayed – Salt Lake City quickly appeals to those looking not just for a career, but for a city that supports an outdoor, active lifestyle. The region is home to world-class ski and summer resorts, and has proclaimed itself to have the ‘best snow on earth.’ Salt Lake City was named one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the nation, so while public transportation may not be robust, the city is quite bikeable.
Prefer to watch the action? Professional teams like the Utah Jazz (basketball), Utah Grizzlies (hockey), and a number of concert, music, and cultural venues provide plenty to do that doesn’t require an athletic build or penchant for thrill-seeking.
Salt Lake City Industries and Jobs to Watch
The NSA’s Utah Data Center, or Intelligence Community Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative Data Center, may be the most famous government facility to make its home in Salt Lake City. The $1.5 billion facility was completed in 2019 and was the first data center dedicated to the intelligence community. While the NSA facility is home to just a few hundred positions, it’s one of many data centers located in Salt Lake City. Northrop Grumman has a Salt Lake County facility that makes composite aerospace structure manufacturing programs. Hill Air Force Base is 30 miles outside of Salt Lake City, and is home to Air Force Materiel Command and the Ogden Air Logistics Complex.
The Silicon Slopes have attracted major companies like Adobe Systems and SanDisk, but also a number of smaller businesses. From software engineering to modeling and simulation, there are job opportunities in Salt Lake City, with a diverse cross-section of employers to consider. As a top state for business, Utah is working hard to attract new companies to the region, and that means diverse career opportunities.
Salt Lake City 411
| Population | 213,367 (107th largest city in the U.S.) |
|---|---|
| Housing Cost | The median rentals is $938/ month, and the median house value is $289,200. |
| Typical Weather | Summertime in Salt Lake City means hot, dry and mostly clear days. June to August averages in the high 80s to low 90s. While wintertime can get cold and cloudy, the temperature is more on the moderate side with average highs in the 40-50s. |
| Cleared Employer to Watch | ManTech, Guidehouse, Northrop Grumman, and PAE |
| Highlighted Job | Mathematician – You may have thought math majors only go into teaching positions or work for NASA, but there are defense contracts with open positions for mathematicians. The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center at Hill Air Force Base-Ogden, Utah has contracts that support its Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) weapon systems. |
