Hourly people are treated like children - Technician General Atomics Employee Review

2.0
Jun 23, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

401k, 9/80, pension. Insurance options

Cons

Hourly people are treated like children. We are told when to take breaks and lunches. Schedules are so inflexible. There are so many rules. No headphones or any kind of music allowed. It has been slow for a couple years. All Hourly people have sit at their benches struggling to stay busy because managers are always walking around to see if anyone is on the internet or checking their phone. Each Hourly employee must sit at their stations watching the same training videos on repeat for hours. This is torture while waiting for 9 hours to pass. Thereis no going home early, even if you offer to take it unpaid during slow times. This company doesn't let anyone make up time, or borrow time ever. The first few years are brutal with pto accruing. It takes about 6 months to accrue 6 days. Your kid gets sick, you have use pto and can't make it up. You get 9 holidays and a day a month. Its brutal for someone starting out. Zero work life balance. If you mess up your time card or need to leave early due to an emergency, you have to go through hoops to get managers to fix it for you. People are quitting out of pure misery. If you are Hourly, do not get a job here. You are a robot and a number. Nothing more.

Explore other reviews about General Atomics

5.0
Jun 8, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Very good work life balance

Cons

9 hour shifts 4 days a week

3.0
Jun 11, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Mostly good people and skilled engineers that are easy to work with and great to learn from across all groups/locations. There is opportunity to pursue technical areas of interest and to stand out by leading improvement efforts. The company is flexible and often facilitates changes according to interest. Sense of job security generally feels good and stable, the greater GA really backs the Space division. The greater company works on some really interesting and cool things, beyond just defense. Pay is pretty good. Experience with most middle management (of engineers) has been positive, they typically advocate and support their employees.

Cons

Unsure of division leadership and strategic direction. Overall impression is that engineers' perspectives are not adequately weighted in both proposals and certain decisions for active missions. Processes burden performance, though there is intention for constant improvement. Ignoring engineering concerns (i.e. with schedule) + process burdens often result in delays and increased pressure, and therefore a less than ideal working environment at times. Overtime pay is not guaranteed but can be approved. Working with teams in different locations can lead to tension and "silo-ing" (though not always). Space division is becoming mostly defense focused (an industry trend), but would be nice to continue work in the civil earth and space science arena. They also demo'd a nice cafeteria/gathering space for more work/equipment space.

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