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Solar Turbines

Part of Caterpillar

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Old School & Conservative Engineering Culture - Principal Design Engineer Solar Turbines Employee Review

3.0
Aug 24, 2020
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great Location in San Diego Stable Parent Company in Caterpillar Good pay and benefits for entry level positions Trying to do better with diversity and inclusion Strong customer base and market share Low Emissions Products help environment

Cons

Yearly raises (usually 2-4%) don't match rising cost of living in CA year over year. Company will need to pivot with inevitable shift towards renewable energy. Slow to innovate and bring new products to market. Dehumanizing layoff process for senior employees. Example: Some with 25+ years of service are kicked to the curb with a quick video call with HR. Third party drops off employee personal belongings just like a bad break up. Hard to watch hard-working guys who deserve a retirement celebration get treated like criminals.

Explore other reviews about Solar Turbines

5.0
Jul 2, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great Culture, Good people, good experience

Cons

Any manufacturing place will have the typical downsides

3.0
Jun 22, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

- Strong benefits package: Holiday shutdown, competitive perks, and the advantages that come with being part of a large, well‑resourced company. - Paid parental leave (new): 16 weeks of paid leave, which is better than many companies in the industry. - Good healthcare options: Solid medical, dental, and vision coverage at a reasonable cost. - Annual bonus structure: Predictable and appreciated yearly bonuses. - Beautiful office + great people: The day‑to‑day coworkers are talented, fun, and genuinely supportive

Cons

- Extremely corporate culture: The company feels increasingly focused on pleasing shareholders and the board rather than supporting employees. - Loss of autonomy + heavy oversight: What used to feel like an independent, empowered environment now feels like “Caterpillar 2.0.” Badge tracking, VPN monitoring, and manager “hit lists” create a sense of surveillance. - DEI rollback: Programs that once had meaning have been stripped down to generic, checkbox versions. - ERGs restricted: Employee resource groups used to be vibrant and employee‑led; now they feel controlled, sanitized, and performative. - Rigid return‑to‑office policy: Leadership advertises “flexibility,” but employees are told that not being in the office 5 days a week, 8 hours a day will negatively impact performance evaluations - Slow, approval‑heavy processes: Even simple decisions require layers of approval, which slows down work and kills creativity. - Double standards: Senior leadership enjoys freedom and exceptions while rank‑and‑file employees are monitored like children. - Structure: People are encouraged to move around to get experience. While this may be a good thing for some people it essentially means you don't get rewarded by being a subject matter expert - you get stuck at the same salary grade for your entire career. It also means managers are frequently in a "step" position so they don't have the time or care to learn their actual job.

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