SAIC (Science Applications International Corporation)

If you have a passion for technology, digital transformation, and the public sector, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) may be a good company to put on your list. SAIC works with the US Government to support technology integration. Per SAIC’s investor presentation (here), SAIC’s mission is to “partner to transform government, enhancing our nation and citizens’ lives, through innovative solutions powered by diverse talent and technology”. While SAIC does not have a true consulting team like an MBB firm, there are consulting-like roles.

This article will share more about SAIC, SAIC careers, SAIC’s culture, and more!

SAIC Key Stats

Firm Website: www.saic.com/
Firm Headquarters: Reston, Virginia
Firm Number of Employees: 26,000
Firm Number of Locations: 51 locations largely in the United States
Firm Chief Executive: Nazzic Keene
Firm Revenue: $7.4B

SAIC History

SAIC has a rich 50+ year heritage. Its roots are in science, with SAIC first calling itself Legacy Science Applications International Corporation. From there, SAIC grew both organically and inorganically. Acquisitions include: Scitor (enabled them to enter the intelligence community) and Unisys Federal (expanded their IT capabilities).

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SAIC Careers

Depending on your career goals, SAIC may be a great firm for you. While SAIC is not a pure-play consulting team, there are some consulting-type roles (e.g., to support implementation of SAIC solutions and advising on budgeting). However, if your goal is to develop a broad consulting toolkit, SAIC may be too narrow, and a traditional MBB or Big 4 consulting company, may be more what you are looking for.

SAIC Development Opportunities

If SAIC is a good fit, SAIC focuses on developing its young professionals. Example development opportunities include:

- Mentorship programs to develop professionally
- Diversity-focused training programs (e.g., for developing grit)
- Leadership academy

SAIC Internship

SAIC internships are designed to give interns an on the job view of what working at SAIC is like. Prior interns have highlighted:

- Having a supportive team
- Learning PowerPoint
- Getting on the job training and guidance

Practice Areas

SAIC practice areas include:

- Mission support (e.g., analytics, digital engineering)
- Information technology (e.g., cloud, cyber)
- Platforms (e.g., ground vehicles, weapon systems)
- Logistics (e.g., secure supply chain, sustainment)
- Innovation factory (e.g., providing innovative technologies to agencies)
- Tech vision (e.g., insights on changes in technology over time / trends in technology)

Industries

SAIC industries / type of clients include:

- Defense
- Contracts and schedules
- Federal civilian agencies
- Health services
- Intelligence community
- Space

SAIC Locations

SAIC locations are primarily in the United States with a few offices globally. SAIC locations include:

- SAIC Chicago (Illinois)
- SAIC Huntsville (Alabama)
- SAIC San Diego (California)
- SAIC Reston (Virginia)
- SAIC Oak Ridge (Tennessee)
- SAIC Andover (Massachusetts)

Career Path

The SAIC career path is not publicized; however, it should be similar to other consulting firms where you move up from an individual contributor to a manager type role.

Exit Opportunities

Given the focus of SAIC, exit opportunities will be narrower than exit opportunities at MBB firms. The exit opportunities will largely be in the public sector and / or technology space.

Notable Alumni

One notable alumnus of SAIC is Deborah Lee James. Deborah held several leadership positions at SAIC; for example, she was president of the technology and energy sector She was then appointed by President Barak Obama to serve as the Secretary of the Air Force.

Target Schools

In terms of SAIC target schools, per LinkedIn, the schools with the largest presence at SAIC include:

- University of Maryland (~650 of ~31,000 employees in the US on LinkedIn)
- George Mason University (~500 of ~31,000 employees in the US on LinkedIn)
- University of Phoenix (~440 of ~31,000 employees in the US on LinkedIn)
- University of Alabama (~410 of ~31,000 employees in the US on LinkedIn)

Diversity Programs

Post-graduation and upon joining SAIC, there are several diversity employee resource groups (“ERGs”) to get involved in. ERGs include:

- Military / Veterans ERG
- Multicultural ERG
- SAIC Equality Alliance (LGBTQIA+)
- Women’s ERG

SAIC Culture

In terms of the SAIC culture, SAIC has a 4.1 star rating out of 5 stars on Glassdoor, with 83% of respondents recommending SAIC to a friend and 87% of respondents approving of the CEO.

Positive reported aspects of SAIC include:

Flexible work life balance
Supportive environment
Commitment to diversity

Negative reported aspects of SAIC include:

Salary package
Some instances of poor upper management
Limited training

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SAIC Interview

The SAIC interview can include an HR screen, fit interviews, and a case process. However, the SAIC interview process may vary, so you should clarify with your recruiter. SAIC interview questions may include:

Why SAIC?
Why consulting?
Why do you want to work in the public sector?

SAIC Salaries

Per Glassdoor, the SAIC salary for a business analyst is ~$95,000 all-in which is an ~$85,000 base and ~$10,000 bonus. This salary is, not surprisingly, lower than what you may see at MBB firms. The entry salary at MBB firms is generally ~$130,000-135,000 with a ~$110,000-$115,000 base salary. For a complete report on consultant’s salaries, see the Management Consulted Salary guide here.

Conclusion

Therefore, SAIC is a great company to explore if you are interested in public sector work. While you may not gain the full consulting toolkit due to the niche focus of the work, you will become an expert within the public policy space and work at a firm that emphasizes professional development and inclusion / diversity. SAIC has over 50 locations that are largely in the US and is known for having flexible work life balance and a supportive environment. If you want to prepare for your SAIC interview with an ex-MBB consultant, please click here.