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NAVSEA: the Naval Sea Systems
Command is in recruiting mode
“Bringing in good technical people is fundamental
to our ability to design, build and maintain the world’s
finest Navy,” says deputy commander Godfrey
 With half its civilian workforce eligible to retire in the next ten years, the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) is busy recruiting and hiring hundreds of engineers. They’re filling vacancies at the command’s Washington, DC HQ and its many field sites.
“We are hiring professionals in the engineering and scientific fields with all levels of experience, from recent college grads to mid-level and senior management positions,” says Edward Godfrey, deputy commander for corporate operations. “Recruiting diverse people in the areas of science and technology is fundamental to NAVSEA’s ability to design, build and maintain the world’s finest Navy.”
NAVSEA is the largest of the Navy’s five system commands. The organization builds, buys and maintains the Navy’s ships and submarines and their combat systems.
The command began in 1794, when Commodore John Barry oversaw the construction of a forty-four-gun frigate. Barry had to ensure that the project “harmonized and conformed” with the public interest.
Today NAVSEA has dozens of activities in sixteen states and is charged with efficiently providing defense resources for the nation. It also establishes and enforces its technical authority in combat-system design and operation.
Many types of tech jobs are available. As Godfrey notes, NAVSEA “is engaged in an incredible range of engineering, technological and scientific work.” Techies work in areas from conceptual design, evaluation and testing of systems and vessels, to process improvement.
NAVSEA’s offices, shipyards and warfare centers offer engineering opportunities at all levels of experience, in electrical, mechanical, nuclear, systems, computer, aerospace, ocean, chemical, environmental and industrial engineering fields.
“We are committed to being the nation’s employer of choice, keeping talented folks engaged in some of the nation’s most interesting and critically important scientific and engineering work,” Godfrey declares.
But, “Fewer and fewer of our children are choosing to enter science and engineering,” he notes. “This will create a shortfall for needed workers in the U.S. and may leave us vulnerable to losing our technical edge.”
As a result, NAVSEA is trying to interest everyone from college students to elementary school kids in science, math and engineering. Part of the program is creating scholarship opportunities for college students in STEM-related fields. Several recently developed NAVSEA scholarships, for example, help engineering students attending minority-serving institutions. About a dozen have been awarded already, and more will be given through 2010.
“It is truly a win-win situation,” Godfrey says. “The schools benefit from NAVSEA’s counsel, students benefit from a better education, and we benefit because we are increasing our pool
of qualified applicants.”
NAVSEA appreciates the “ingenuity” of a diverse workforce, so diversity training and awareness seminars are held throughout the year, as well as events to celebrate heritage months for African Americans, Caribbean Americans, women, Asian Pacific folks, Hispanics, and American Indians and Alaskan Native Americans.
There’s also a yearly, two-day diversity summit featuring training tracks and briefings for EEO/diversity advocates and other senior leaders.
Diversity offices at HQ and field sites help implement diversity programs. NAVSEA’s diversity advisory group helps monitor the EEO/diversity climate within NAVSEA, serves as a sounding board and focuses on concerns identified by all groups.
Employees can also expect a strong interest in their career development, Godfrey says. “Our goal is to transform NAVSEA into an organization where mentoring is a part of the culture.”
NAVSEA’s mentoring network program takes a Web-based approach, facilitating development anywhere, any time. “It has never been easier for our folks to find the mentors they need,” Godfrey says.
To measure the progress made on diversity efforts and to hold senior leaders accountable, NAVSEA workers fill out periodic accountability reviews.
Employee resource groups are also available: African American, American Indian, Asian Pacific American, Hispanic, women, people with disabilities and Wounded Warriors.
Work-life balance is also important. NAVSEA has family-friendly leave policies, and many offices offer alternative work schedules.
As for community involvement, NAVSEA is currently expanding its outreach to increase interest in STEM careers. HQ and field people pay dozens of school visits each year to help develop reading, math and science skills and spark interest. NAVSEA engineers and scientists coach students in events like Young Scientist and Engineer Day in Bethesda, MD, and the Greater Philadelphia Sea Perch Challenge, hosted by Drexel University, which involves pre-college kids in exciting underwater robotics.
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