Vantaggi
At Raytheon IDS there are some interesting projects to work on and some great people to work with. The benefits are very good; although some will complain about health care costs, that is a national problem and while Raytheon is not bucking that trend, it is still better than a majority of employers. The paid time off (PTO) system is barely adequate: 3 weeks for 1-4 years with the company, 4 weeks for 5-10 years then a day or two for every additional 5 years. The 9/80 schedule is great when you are able to use it.
Svantaggi
There is a lot of inequality among departments and divisions regarding compensation based upon work quality and quantity as well as promotions. Opportunity for advancement is somewhat limited. Some of the people show up to work to collect a pay check, not to do their job well. The bureaucratic red tape can be infuriating and prevent you from doing your job effectively. Compensation is typically adjusted by 2.5-3% for a "meets requirements" while a "highly promotable" is rewarded with a 4% pay increase. Typical of large organizations in that HR decides metrics for compensation and middle-managers are forced to fit their demands. It is very easy to get lost in the shuffle or to be pigeon-holed into a role. Things move very slowly.