OPM hasn’t always been able to boast of rising job satisfaction with its employees. As an employer who’s often struggled with retention as it operates at the whim of politics, it’s heartening to see that after a tough pandemic year, OPM reports that job satisfaction rose to 77.6% from its 2016 result of 66.2%. Shutdowns, furloughs, pay freezes, and pay compression all tend to have an impact on employee satisfaction. However, during a global pandemic, the federal government has sought to provide effective communication – an effort that did not go unnoticed by employees. “Through the toughest times, employees have been resilient and motivated while supervisors and senior leaders alike have served employees well by embracing their roles to keep employees safe and informed,” OPM’s then-Acting Director Michael Rigas said.
Layoffs Impacting the Defense Industry
| McAfee | Cybersecurity software company, McAfee plans to layoff 137 employees at company headquarters, beginning in March. Additionally, McAfee has plans to close its security software development center in Tel Aviv, Israel. While the need for cybersecurity is deep, the competition within the field is steep. |
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While the layoffs are not in high numbers, tightening belts within the defense industry can make clearance holders worried. While a clearance is only active if it’s in use, clearance holders can rest easy that a layoff doesn’t mean a cleared career killer. With a current clearance, candidates can still stay in the national security market. With keeping clearance dates documented, a new employer should be able to onboard without issues – depending on whether the layoff was within two years.
Hiring impacting the Defense Industry
| NNSA | The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) is actively searching for about 2,000 next generation nuclear security professionals. NNSA has their eye on the lookout in 10 locations across the U.S. The virtual hiring event is scheduled for January 27. The NNSA is recruiting engineers, physical scientists, foreign affairs specialists, lawyers, information technology and security specialists. Contract positions are also needed.
“NNSA’s vital national security missions help keep our nation and our world safe and secure, so we’re excited to be hosting this event, and to be recruiting and interviewing our nation’s top talents and professionals,” said Lewis (Lew) Monroe III, NNSA’s Director of Human Resources. |
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Opportunity to Watch
Raytheon takes a new approach to attracting veteran talent. The defense contractor has two $10,000 scholarships for sailors who pursue a degree at an accredited university, as well as demonstrate leadership within the community. Raytheon’s SPY-6 scholarship aims to benefit U.S. Navy student veterans and is in partnership with Student Veterans of America (SVA). The scholarship program is named for the U.S. Navy’s SPY-6 family of radars. The application closes April 15, 2021. The program not only showcases Raytheon’s organizational support for veterans, but it also provides an innovative approach to recruiting veterans and supporting military families.
