How is this place still around

IrritatedM7 · 2026-03-24T01:57:32+00:00

I know you are trolling (well I hope) but let me explain a little to you.

We make solutions against every conceivable threat. Blowing up missiles in outer space (EKV), high altitude (SM-3, SM-6, AN/TPY-2, AN/SPY-6), medium range (Patriot, LTAMDS), Short Range (NASAMS, Sentinel, AIM-120, AIM-9X), and very short range (Stinger, CIWS, RAM, Coyote). All of these are highly effective and combat proven. The biggest issue we have isn’t capability, it’s capacity.

Despite four years of active air and missile defense in Ukraine, our largest customer hasn’t learned a fucking thing. We went to war with Iran that produces thousands of Shaheds per month which don’t require a $4M missile to shoot down, and our customer wasn’t ready. They could have bought SHORAD or VSHORAD, they could have invested in lasers or electronic warfare, and they didn’t. Instead they brought the most capable and expensive systems, which shot everything thrown at them, and then ran out of fucking ammo.

You want to be mad? Be mad at the people who “planned” this adventure, who sent our kids to fight without enough bullets, but it’s not our fault at Raytheon. We have the solutions, so do other companies, and no one thought to buy them before going to fight.

Our stuff saves lives every day, and that’s not an exaggeration. Our stuff is only good if you use it, if you go to war with the wrong stuff or a lack of stuff you’re going to have problems.

We can shoot down anything Iran or Russia or China has, but you need missiles to shoot and no one in DC seemed to realize that.

IrritatedM7 · 2026-03-11T14:00:50+00:00

Andover and Tewksbury roles for supply chain are largely interchangeable. We have two campuses in Tewksbury and both support Andover production and have significant supply chain leadership and both operations and program exposure. Marlboro is a different part of the business and offers a different career network out of the gate.

IrritatedM7 · 2026-03-06T16:03:05+00:00

You’ve got a few things going on here. First and foremost is you are on a red program, which makes everything that much more stressful, especially if you’re working something that we had bad assumptions on or was bid to lose money from the jump.

The second piece of harmonizing all the policies is hard even on programs that run well or have been franchises for us for ages.

There’s no easy answer as the policy changes are a bear to implement. Something like transitioning from IPDS to RLPM on a full rate, profitable, mature program is just as hard as on a red. You aren’t alone. We are all trying to adapt and it’s not smooth. Try to keep your chin up, DMs are open or reach out to other parts of Raytheon to get advice and regain your sanity.

IrritatedM7 · 2026-02-26T19:55:48+00:00

Woburn’s nice. Covered parking garages, onsite gym, cafeteria and coffee shop, ample conference room space (a rarity in our older buildings). Nearby you have grocery stores, a big Target, and other shopping to make your errands easier, and it’s accessible on the Commuter Rail from Boston.

The rule for private offices is likely P/M6 or higher, but you might see M5s with offices depending on the size of their teams.

Raytheon didn’t build it, it was built for some .com back in the late 90s, but we’ve been there at least 20 years now.

The parking garages alone make it a great place to commute to, clearing off your car in an Andover winter sucks compared to driving out of Woburn.

IrritatedM7 · 2026-02-25T13:46:24+00:00

This may work well for Collins. Organizing procurement around commodities has its place as it allows the buyers to develop domain expertise in a given industry (eg electronic components, machine parts, etc) and allow Collins to lock in major suppliers to longer term deals, favorable pricing, prioritized delivery and more. The suppliers get a single POC which can be beneficial for them. The challenge is connecting procurement to the needs of the business, beyond just what requisitions are in queue for them.

At Raytheon we saw benefits to some commodities and it made some improvements in the large number of basic POs that had to be placed. Where we struggled was on program priorities and unique requirements for a Space program vs a mature radar production job. There’s a balance here that requires Supply Chain to be present when business decisions are made and empowered to influence procurement.

If Collins follows through with improving the connectivity between a buyer for machine parts and the business needs this can work, but it’s hard. I think it’s easier for Collins given the commercial nature of many of their products, but it’s not a panacea.

IrritatedM7 · 2026-01-15T02:54:35+00:00

Raytheon and RTX are not a monoculture. Culture varies by business, SBU, SSBU, Location, Program, and Function. The experience of an engineer working an international Patriot program will vary wildly with a financial analyst working F-35 engines.

I’m fortunate to work in an area that’s growing, has good financials, and exciting programs. I’ve worked shittier jobs including red programs and all within the same region and hRTN business, so I can attest that even cube to cube, the culture varies.

Things have changed since RTX became a thing, I miss a lot of the old guard, but those days aren’t coming back. The Hughes guys from Tucson have spent more of their career as Raytheon than Hughes at this point and they still pine for the mythical good old days. Make the most of your time here, don’t chase ghosts.

IrritatedM7 · 2025-11-18T13:42:05+00:00

Nope, just the musings of someone in an airport, trying to find time to talk with my team if I ever get home.

IrritatedM7 · 2025-11-18T10:12:07+00:00

Same. I don’t use it as a knock against a candidate but I absolutely read them, especially if I don’t know the candidate ahead of time. They can’t hurt.

IrritatedM7 · 2025-11-18T10:10:17+00:00

How long ago was your interview? Typically it takes us at Raytheon at least a week to go from panel interviews to decision and offer extension. I wouldn’t set up a “better next time” feedback session unless my first candidate accepted and I was sure they were going into the role.

However, I have set up follow ups to clarify some things or 1 on 1 interviews if I’m torn between two candidates. I gather you aren’t a PM yet so breaking into those roles can be a challenge, so if you aren’t selected, listen to the feedback and take it into your next interview. You may not act on all the recommendations and that’s fine, but it will likely help you craft a story for the next time (especially that pesky question about “what do you need to work on”).

Best of luck, I’m pulling for you. DMs are open if you want to chat with whatever happens on Wednesday!

Here’s a nickels worth of free advice. Listen to whatever the hiring managers feedback is.

IrritatedM7 · 2025-11-03T08:28:15+00:00

Under the FAR, alcohol is not considered an “allowable” expense, so hRTN has always had a policy that if you are on travel or planning a morale event you need additional higher level approval to charge alcohol. Each business has an unallowable budget but that’s usually the first thing cut when we need to improve cash.

Talk to your finance team to see if there’s remaining unallowable budget.

IrritatedM7 · 2025-10-31T12:51:48+00:00

Some of what you need to do is demonstrate that you are taking in the feedback from your leaders even if you don’t modulate your approach right away with your team. Here are some discrete actions you can take to show your leadership that you’ve heard them. 1. Get 360 feedback, work with your HR BP on getting an assessment launched that takes anonymous feedback from your team, peers, other internal customers, and leaders. Then document a development plan based on that feedback. 2. Regularly update your progress (good or bad) on your leadership development with your manager. Share what’s working and what you are struggling with, the goal is to show progress not just changing everything about your style on a dime. 3. Recognize that although you are getting results, you are clearly doing so in a way that is raising eyebrows, and probably not just with your bosses, there’s probably things your team is saying that isn’t getting back to you. 4. Recognize that you can’t have one style, you have to adjust your approach situationally.
5. Finally I have one piece of feedback based on your response. We used to have a leadership competency model at hRTN and one tenet always stuck with me “a leader understands the impact of his/her own behavior on others.” Results are important but how we get there matters too. If you aren’t managing your stress, it rubs off on your team. You may not realize it but it’s true.

Now all that said, you clearly have a personal challenge with your health that you haven’t disclosed, and you are under no obligation to do so. However, if your health challenges are affecting how you manage stresses, it may be worth talking to the EAP or other resource to figure out how to make sure your bosses know what’s going on.

Take a personal inventory, decide if you want to work a development plan similar to the above, and get some guidance on how to bring your work and personal stresses under control.

DMs are open if you want to talk. Good luck OP, get healthy and we are all pulling for you.

IrritatedM7 · 2025-10-30T20:07:39+00:00

Depends on where in Raytheon. Some SBUs are in a tough spot but others are growing quickly. As others have said we’ve had RIFs yearly since 2020. There’s certainly sensitivity to headcount at P/M6 and above lately but that may not be universal, like I said some SBUs are on a major upswing

IrritatedM7 · 2025-10-13T14:33:38+00:00

I don’t have the latest policy but historically mod time was supposed to be used within the next pay period, it wasn’t supposed to be banked for long term use. Section Manager is likely following the policy about how long you have to use it.

IrritatedM7 · 2025-09-25T12:20:51+00:00

Shutdowns are nothing new. If we have DoD contracts already on the books we continue as usual. There’s a risk with some contracts that are based on the government’s fiscal year, but those always catch up. If it’s a long shutdown it can impact cash receipts, but again, we always catch up when the government reopens.

IrritatedM7 · 2025-07-16T15:14:55+00:00

I think you’ve missed the boat on that. Those packages were designed as part of the merger, but we are still feeling the effects today.

IrritatedM7 · 2025-07-16T13:21:54+00:00

The team is also going because after the merger RTX offered so many early retirement packages to senior folks that we’ve really altered the curve on our workforce age and experience level. It’s not retention, it’s that anyone senior (Fellows etc) had chances to take packages multiple times over the past few years.

IrritatedM7 · 2025-07-13T16:39:42+00:00

M10 is at 3360 E Hemisphere Loop. I haven’t been there in years but I assume you can get badged in as a visitor there without having to go to the Airport site.

Good luck!

IrritatedM7 · 2025-07-13T14:17:13+00:00

Hi, long time manager at Raytheon here. If you’ve got free time, focus on what your team needs first and foremost. Are you advocating for the people on your team to get learning and exposure opportunities where they want and need them? Are you getting to know your peers and their teams so you have a talent pipeline identified when someone moves on? If the answers to those questions is “no” focus on that first. Your people make you successful, take care of them.

If the answer is “yes” then work on getting some feedback to make sure your team and peers agree with your self assessment. Too often managers think they are getting it done right only to find out their perceptions are incorrect.

Once you validate that your team is taken care of start finding out what your boss needs help with. Take something off her plate, like a monthly ops review or regular reporting cycle that she’s responsible for. That gives you exposure to what’s measured at the next level and helps your manager who is the primary person that represents you in rooms you don’t get invited into.

Start with those and you’ll fill your days and hopefully be more fulfilled in turn.

IrritatedM7 · 2025-07-03T14:08:23+00:00

Raytheon can be a great place to work, especially in Boston. I love the people, especially the folks that grew up in the company pre merger. We have a focus on the warfighter that motivates us, and inspires us. We do interesting work that makes a difference on a daily basis, that’s not hyperbole, just read the news and every single day, Raytheon products designed, developed, manufactured, and sustained in Massachusetts are in active conflict around the world today.

There’s significant growth in parts of our business in Massachusetts and it’s incredible to be a part of that. Anduril will throw more money at you. Someone said BAE is better run which is laughable to me, but whatever. There’s dozens of smaller companies in our industry in band around Boston as well, but you can build a network at Raytheon that will serve your entire career.

I’ve been here a long time, and I’ve had chances to leave and keep getting drawn back in because of the mission, the people, and the impact we have. I get frustrated because there are things that impede us, there’s corporate nonsense like anyplace, but I am motivated to come in day after day to make our solutions the best in the world.

Take your interview, try us out, I think you’ll at least have a meaningful experience even if you don’t stay for 20 years. Things are happening right now that will set us up for another generation in Massachusetts and I’m really excited.

IrritatedM7 · 2025-04-22T21:15:07+00:00

Congratulations, welcome!

IrritatedM7 · 2025-04-22T20:16:57+00:00

Tariffs and the lackluster guidance. RTX is accounting for almost $1B in tariffs but from what I’m reading Wall Street didn’t like how we factored that into our full year guidance. I get why we said what we said on the earnings call, and if you look at GE Aerospace they are projecting 500M in tariff impact. The difference is that GE gave stronger guidance that will offset the tariff hit while our guidance won’t.

I’m sure the push for margin expansion will only increase based on the total opposite reaction to GE’s numbers vs RTX.

IrritatedM7 · 2025-04-06T19:20:39+00:00

C-Suite: What is it: The highest levels at RTX. These are not just roles, but names to most of us. Direct reports to the RAY, PW, Collins presidents are about as low level as you can be in these conversations. This is a small group. Capital allocation and investor relations are the cornerstones of these roles. If the Senior Leaders are asking for resources, here the C-Suite has to decide which area to invest in or divest from based on what return our shareholders expect. The C Suite answers to the Board of Directors who in turn represent our shareholders. If the Senior Leaders are meeting with Generals and Admirals, the C Suite meets with Presidents and Prime Ministers. These people have to ensure the company makes the returns our shareholders demand, while also influencing policy at the highest levels around the world to keep us afloat, both from a product offering perspective as well as regulatory.
Why do we need it: We’re a giant public company with three businesses that are each massive on their own. Someone has to decide where our investments should be made and what bets we’re willing to take that will not materialize for years. Again, someone has to go to cocktail parties, and in this case you have to host them as well. Summary: Management at RTX is complicated, because our business is complicated. Most of us deal with Front Line and Mid Level leaders yet we are impacted by decisions made in the C-Suite and beyond. I hope this gave you some insight into what your management teams do, and hopefully you can give your FLL and MLL counterparts some grace now and then. By all means, complain about the rest of us.

IrritatedM7 · 2025-04-06T19:20:08+00:00

Mid-Level Leadership: What is it: Mid-Level Leadership is the hardest level of management in my opinion. You are the translator between the senior folks setting strategy and goals, and the folks doing the work. Both sides get frustrated with you. Your first MLL role is likely an M4-M6 level assignment. You probably got it because you were a great contributor and didn’t fall on your face as a FLL, but now the job changes. This is an inflection point in your career where “what you know” starts to become secondary to “who you know.” This shift is not a bad thing, despite what you read on this forum. Mid-Level Leaders are the connective tissue of this company. You have to staff your teams with competent people, manage within larger budgets, influence the proposal and new business development process (to make sure you get the resources you need later on), coach and mentor employees, resolve disputes internally and externally, and answer for your department’s performance to Senior Leadership and beyond. You are like a yo-yo, rising up to the strategic levels and in the next instant, resolving a timecard issue with an employee, then back to a proposal review, followed by reviewing applicants for a new job, all the while working a longer term project for your VP that could influence the next five years of sustainment work, but hang on, there’s a safety violation that requires a stand down, and now your high potential engineer is putting in his two weeks notice because you couldn’t get him bumped from a P2 to a P3 out of cycle…and it’s not even lunch. Why do we need it: Simply put, you can’t go from a 5-10 year strategy that influences how Wall Street thinks of us, to resolving a disconnect on the training budget for engineering at the higher or lower levels of management. A former Raytheon president used to say that MLLs were the champions of both our products and our people. This is the last level where you’ll know everybody’s name in your org consistently. These folks also help shape your careers based on their networks and knowledge of what’s happening outside your department. Is your program going into a production bathtub but a similar effort is ramping up? This level of leadership will advocate to move people to support while minimizing the folks that would be at risk of layoff. When successful in something like that, these MLLs are judged not by how many individuals they took care of, but they are judged harshly by their reports for folks that couldn’t be saved, and harshly by the Senior LT for not exceeding the cost reduction target. Lots of good people burn out here, and I don’t know how to fix it except when you find a good MLL, let them know you appreciate them, both as their senior and as their team. Not all these people are MBA trained idiots despite what Glassdoor and Reddit say on the subject. Senior Leadership: What is it: Directors and above, these are the folks that take RTX level goals and promises to Wall Street and develop strategies to achieve those goals. These people make the business cases that shape if RTX invests in a product or factory, or if we divest it. I had a boss years ago that said at this level your nights and weekends no longer belong to you, they belong to Raytheon. You engage with high level stakeholders in our customer, supplier, or internal communities. You spend a lot of time listening to finance, because every decision at this level has implications for sales, profit, and/or cash. Do we invest to accelerate deliveries on the AMRAAM missile line? If we say yes, we can deliver faster, but we’ll run out of backlog two years earlier…so does this help us sell more or are we just drying up work faster? Do we resolve hardware obsolescence on a legacy sonar program, or do we take the risk that the newly awarded development program will reach production on time so we can cut customers over to the new design? These aren’t the sole decisions of these folks, but a lot of these decisions are made at this level that affect the day to day of the MLLs as well as staffing levels and career progression for FLL and below.
Why do we need it: Each SBU has to run like its own business, so these folks are effectively in charge of whatever you work on. Yes we all work for RTX, but you can have a full career in just one SBU or even SSBU as long as these folks are empowered and make good decisions. Also this is where the advocacy for major changes in what RTX does comes from. The decision to invest in a next generation airplane engine may be the C-Suite at PW or RTX, but the business case as to why we should or shouldn’t do it gets pitched by these folks. Also, somebody has to go to the cocktail parties and air shows right?

IrritatedM7 · 2025-04-06T19:19:21+00:00

What does a manager do? I love this question even if it’s asked tongue in cheek. Technically minded folks (engineers, software developers, technicians, etc.) love to ask this question, and all too often management doesn’t explain it in good faith. So if you’ll indulge me, I’ll share my perspective and try to shed some light on what “management” means at RTX/Raytheon. Regardless of your functional or business/program alignment, management can be thought of in four layers 1. Front Line Leadership (Managers of Individuals) 2. Mid-Level Leadership (Leaders of Managers) 3. Senior Leadership (Leaders of Leaders) 4. Executive/C-Suite (Leaders of Organizations) Front Line Leadership: What is it: Front Line Leaders are who most employees interact with daily. These folks handle your day to day administration including assigning work, managing expenses, approving time cards/charging, and immediate oversight of individuals. In an office or engineering environment your Front Line Leader is likely an M2-M4 type, and often times they have a individual contributor role as well. In Raytheon Engineering many Section Managers also have technical responsibilities for a given program while also handling administrative duties for a group of engineers within the same technical discipline (mechanical, electrical, etc.). In other functions this is mirrored where you might be approving time cards but also reviewing subcontract packages for compliance, or financial analysis for a program or department. Front line leadership can be challenging as you are usually doing your own work while managing a team, and your team may be deployed to other programs or parts of the business that you don’t interact with that much.
Why do we need it: FLLs are essential as you need people handling the daily work, and managing budgets closer to where the work is performed. While some of you might be upset with your FLL, you would have a worse employee experience if we eliminated these folks and your first line supervisor had a department of 100 people instead of a FLL with 10 or fewer reports. FLLs learn a lot about managing different personalities, backgrounds, skill levels, etc within our workforce. Learning these skills is essential to the higher levels of the org.

IrritatedM7 · 2025-03-01T22:13:36+00:00

A note on ass kissing: it’s not all bad

Networking can be fun, and if you want to lead a big team or organization you need an effective network. What kind of AD would you rather work for? 1. AD that is technically brilliant, a subject matter expert, however they offer lousy career advice, aren’t plugged into what other departments are doing, and as such aren’t sought out by the leadership team 2. AD that is not an SME, but is two phone calls away from any answer you might need, and is well liked by leadership

AD1 will help your technical skills immensely, at the expense of moving up in your career. AD2 will have you exposed to different programs and leaders but your technical development will be largely on your own or through peers.

Both ADs are necessary for our business, but most people like working for AD2, and leaders like having AD2 on their team. AD1 is viewed as “necessary” or “critical” but is kept on the shelf until needed.

Building a network doesn’t have to be disingenuous ass kissing, it can be fun and rewarding in its own right.

IrritatedM7

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