A Mixed Bag of Great and Stupid - Principal ___ Jacobs Employee Review

3.0
24 Oct 2013
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Excellent salaries. Let people work on their own (trust) with minimal oversight. Nice office spaces. Generally great colleagues who are fun to be around and excellent at their jobs.

Cons

Senior office managers don't understand what the have.. the skills available within their staff. This translates to not always using the right people for the job and don't know how to put a team together to market services. Easily duped into rewarding mediocrity. Give nice raises and 6 weeks later layoffs... DUH! Idiotic safety (zero tolerance) requirements (this needs an example). They show a safety video in which a guy coming down a set of stairs is not using the handrail. He is stopped by a woman going up the stairs, who is holding onto the handrail, who procedes to chastise him for not being safe enough. OK.... so the company is concerned that you might fall, but they have no problem with you contracting some disease and dying from touching a public handrail. Policies that don't fit every situation but can't possibly allow an exception. When the company I was with was first 'acquired' by Jacobs, a senior existing Jacobs employee told their new staff in one office that "the sooner you buy into this the better off you will be." This was correctly interpreted to mean 'This is the way it will be no matter whether you like it or not because we are Jacobs and this is what we do, and if you don't comply with it immediately blah, blah, blah...'

Explore other reviews about Jacobs

5.0
3 Apr 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Strong learning environment for entry-level engineers Great exposure to large-scale transportation and infrastructure projects with experienced mentors and structured onboarding. Reputable global firm Jacobs’ strong brand name adds credibility to your résumé and opens doors for future opportunities in both public and private sectors. Good career growth and mobility Clear pathways to move into roles like Project Engineer, Assistant Resident Engineer, or Construction Management with internal postings encouraged. Supportive team culture (project-dependent) Most teams are collaborative, and senior staff are willing to guide junior engineers, especially in inspection and CM roles. Competitive benefits and job stability Solid health benefits, 401(k), PTO, and steadier work compared to smaller consulting firms—especially on long-term public agency contracts.

Cons

Growth pace depends on manager and project Advancement and role expansion can vary widely based on leadership and available opportunities.

1
4.0
29 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The benefits and unlimited pto are great

Cons

It’s a big company, so there are a lot of corporate games you have to play to get noticed and advance in your career

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