Leidos Power Delivery Services: Strong potential for professional growth

Charles Wang started his career at Leidos in 2016, joining the Leidos Power Delivery Services Transmission Line Team. It was his first job out of college.

“I applied online while I was finishing my master's degree and, honestly, I didn't expect to hear back," he says. “But the recruiters were very engaging and proactive."

Having joined Leidos as a junior engineer, Wang has seen exciting growth both on a company level and in his own career. He started as part of a two-person team that worked on one project for a new client. “Now our team has about nine people. We've grown tremendously, both in revenue and team size, and I now have junior engineers who report to me," he says, noting that his managers actively helped him move his career forward. Wang also serves as one of the main points of contact for clients. “The fact that I've had such meaningful interactions with our clients so quickly has been a highlight in my career." Though impressive, Wang's experience isn't unusual at Leidos.

“We have quite a few engineers with just two to three years of experience who have been promoted to supervisory and lead positions based on strong performances," says Raymond Okeke, vice president and division manager of the Power Delivery Services Division at Leidos. He points out that being a part of the growing Power Delivery Services team, which is comprised of more than 600 employees, presents new engineers with tremendous opportunities to technically develop and advance in their careers. "As a result of successfully executing projects and providing solutions to our client's toughest problems, we have built a strong client base and growing backlog. This has presented new and challenging career opportunities in the Power Delivery services team. We've continued to hire throughout the pandemic and have successfully onboarded new staff remotely," Okeke says.

According to Matt Hartig, watching his colleagues' career progression has been one of his favorite experiences while working at Leidos. Currently a substation engineering manager in Seattle, Hartig joined Leidos as a design engineer and has been with the company for more than six years. In that time, he's seen the Northwest team grow quickly, practically doubling over the last three years. “It's been so fun to hire new engineers, watch them thrive, and see their careers grow," he says. He also appreciates where Leidos offices and design centers are located. “Whether it's just a few blocks from Pike Place Market in Seattle or in the heart of downtown Portland or Chicago, our locations tend to be in fun spots."

Three reasons to join the Leidos Power Delivery Services Team

Leidos Power Delivery Services operates in many sectors, including transmission, distribution, substation, protection and controls, system planning, and project management.

"We work hard to provide clients with unique and innovative approaches, while always keeping cost savings and efficient service in mind," says Okeke. "This approach, paired with our talented people, has led to our recognition as a top ranked design firm in many sectors. And this puts us in a position to continue hiring new associates to join our ranks." Here are three of the reasons why you should consider joining our team.

1. Your work will have a powerful impact.

“If you want to work on projects that have a tangible impact on a community, then Leidos is a good place to be," Wang says, sharing that he enjoys getting to travel and see his projects in person. “You know that your project affects thousands of people (if not more) which makes it both fulfilling and rewarding." One such project in Michigan involved rebuilding a series of electrical lines originally built in the 1960s and '70s. “We helped ensure that thousands of people across the state will continue to have energy delivered to their homes," Wang says.

Hartig notes that he and his team feel the same way about their work in the Northwest, especially as they help a large utility company modernize their grid. “We're keeping the lights on for everyone living in the greater Northwest," he says. “Helping to provide reliable and cost-effective electricity makes our team feel like we're doing a greater good for our community."

2. You'll experience many opportunities for professional development.

Anne Murray joined Leidos on the Power Delivery Services Distribution Line Team more than five years ago. She was excited not only about the room to grow but also about the opportunities to learn new skills due to the variety of projects. She has since been recognized for her efforts in a company recognition program, moved into management, and helped expand her team to nearly 20 people.

“I've learned more technical skills than I ever had a chance to at previous companies," she says. During her time at Leidos, she has worked on reconductoring jobs, storm hardening jobs and more, and even helped to relocate overhead facilities underground.

“I'm five years in and still excited to be working at Leidos. Management fully supports continuing education and professional development," she says.

Hartig has enjoyed the opportunity to work on a client's telecommunications program that had formerly been completely outside of his wheelhouse. “My team had to learn a whole new skill set. Now I'm a telecommunications subject matter expert (SME), which probably wouldn't have happened at other engineering firms," he says. His team collaborated with another Leidos team, digital utilities, leveraging their technical knowledge of wireless systems. “Because Leidos is so large, we can leverage SMEs outside of our team to accomplish complex projects like this," Hartig says.

Wang echoes the benefit of working for a tight knit team that is part of a robust organization. “It's great to be a smaller, agile group within a large company. Because of the company's size and reputation, we attract interesting clients, and because we're a smaller team, we get exposure to great clients, even those who are at the start of their career."

3. You'll work with great people.

“Our leaders believe in building a sense of community," says Hartig. “They understand the importance of a strong culture." He attributes his great team to this focus on culture.

“My team is what keeps me coming to work every day," he says, noting that he enjoys working with everyone. “They're all very driven, good people not just to work with, but as members of the community. We'll even text each other on the weekend to share anything from pictures of our tomato garden to a new smoker or grill. I've never had that type of culture or sense of community at other employers."

Murray agrees, saying that one of the things she's most proud of and most enjoys when it comes to her job at Leidos is her relationships with her team and customers.

“I don't think of my team members just as people who are here to work," she says. “We have a job to do, of course, but we also have lives outside of work." She keeps an open door so her team members know they can come to her with any issues, whether personal or professional. “I care about them as people, not just workers." And she feels that she, too, has full support from others at Leidos, as evidenced by the mentoring she has received.

“My mentor has opened a lot of doors for me, introducing me to people in the company who widen my overall view as to what's possible," she says. “Bouncing ideas off of another woman in our group has helped me see many potential paths forward. And that's part of what's so great about working at Leidos: It definitely provides options."

Apply to join the Leidos Power Delivery Team

There's a reason why the best and brightest people work for Leidos. Actually, hundreds of reasons. Whether it's the astounding variety of projects, the ability to continually learn and develop new skills, or the opportunities for growth, Leidos provides you with a one-of-a-kind career path.

If you're interested in joining the Power Delivery Services team, we'd love to hear from you. Leidos is hiring for transmission line, distribution line, substation, system planning and protection, and project management jobs at all levels and in multiple locations across the U.S. Search our many open jobs and apply today.