Answers to Parsons' most frequently asked questions
Safety, quality, integrity, diversity, innovation, and sustainability—our core values—guide us as an engineering and construction leader, and they also make Parsons a great place to work. These principles, which we rely on to serve our customers, also support our employees over the course of their careers at Parsons. We reward our employees with benefits designed to enhance their quality of life, pursue professional and personal goals, and give them the chance to be part of a world-class team.
We make it easy for ambitious and motivated employees to join us by providing infrastructure built as much on state-of-the-art materials and tools as on our values—and we make it even easier for them to stay.
Back to top
Our competitive compensation and benefits package includes medical, dental, vision, and life insurance. We offer tuition reimbursement, credit union membership, an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), a 401(k), and career development. In addition, our Wellness for Life program promotes taking time for fitness, eating well, and preventive medical care.
Please note these benefits are based on which subsidiary, joint venture, or limited-liability company you join.
- Group Medical. Dental. Vision Plans.
- Life Insurance Programs.
- Auto and Home Insurance-Special Rates.
- Paid Time Off (PTO).
- Employee Assistance Program.
- Wellness for Life Program.
Back to top
Continuing Education and Professional Licenses
At Parsons, we believe in the power of professional knowledge. Continuing education and training are an inherent part of our strategic plan for recruiting and retaining our employees—as well as satisfying our customers' needs for a proactive organization that provides one-of-a-kind solutions:
- Tuition Reimbursement. We provide financial assistance to employees who take outside educational courses (subject to approval).
- ParsonsU. Our corporate training and development website (ParsonsU) offers online education, giving our employees a strategic advantage. Our employees access more than 440 online and media-rich learning courses specific to individual career and corporate objectives.
- Professional Licenses. We support our full-time employees who keep their professional registrations/certifications current and continue to pursue additional qualifications in their field.
- Professional Society Memberships. Participating in a professional society improves employee relationships, builds a sense of community, broadens an individual’s interests—and, therefore, adds value to our company!
Back to top
Credit Union, Savings, and Retirement Plans
Parsons helps the people who work hard for us every day with the benefits we offer, especially our Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP):
- Parsons ESOP. Parsons is 100% owned by The Parsons Corporation ESOP. Eligible employees have a unique opportunity to participate in a stock bonus in which their individual efforts—and the efforts of fellow employees—contribute to their long-term financial position. The ESOP is a very strong financial incentive for our employees to produce the best work they can.
- Parsons’ 401(k). In addition to the ESOP, our 401(k) plan provides eligible employees with the opportunity to save by enabling them to take an active role in deciding how their money is invested.
- Parsons’ Federal Credit Union (PFCU). This financial institution, chartered in 1975, is committed to providing a broad range of products and services.
Back to top
History of Community Service
Since its inception, one of Parsons' top priorities has been to give back to the community. From hosting blood drives, funding scholarships, participating in the United Way, and raising money for victims of natural disasters, the corporation feels privileged to support local and national charities:
- Parsons employees pledge nearly half a million dollars to United Way each year.
- Our technical staff volunteer their time to teach science and engineering to middle school students as part of the Future Scientists and Engineers of America.
- Our annual Tournament for Life golf tournament is a tradition held since 1975 on behalf of the American Cancer Society's San Gabriel Valley Unit.
- Parsons is a corporate sponsor of Big Sunday, a weekend-long event that works on and resolves community needs in and around Los Angeles.
- The Parsons chem demil staff in Indiana is actively involved in helping people in need. Starting in 1999, we began collecting donations and participated in fundraisers organized by the employee recreation committee.
Back to top
Engineering News-Record is our industry's leading analyst, and each year it conducts a peer review. According to ENR, for 8 consecutive years Parsons has ranked No. 1 in design capabilities in telecommunications.
In addition, ENR consistently ranks Parsons among the top companies in such categories as hazardous waste, general building, overall design, transportation, manufacturing, international markets, and industrial process.
Readers of Minority Engineer were asked to name both private and public sector employers for whom they would most like to work or believed would provide a positive working environment for members of minority groups. Parsons ranked #10 out of 50 in the Winter 2008/2009 issue.
For the 4th consecutive year, CollegeGrad.com named Parsons one of the top 500 employers of entry-level college graduates in 2008.
Back to top
Early Career Professionals (ECP). We help our newest employees grow through our Parsons ECP program. In fact, here are two ECP employee comments about joining and working for Parsons:
"I’ve found a career that advances my skills, nurtures my morals, and embraces my ethical obligation to improve the world we live in. I enjoy being part of the Parsons’ effort to provide basic human needs, like clean water."
-Katy K., Associate Mechanical Engineer
"Parsons is very diverse company, and it goes above and beyond the industry standard. I wanted to be a part of a team that consistently pursues high goals. I knew Parsons would include me as part of its team that consistently goes beyond the call of duty—and where I would be able to develop my career while maintaining a high quality of life."
-Tom K., Construction Business Development
Mid- and Senior-Level Professionals. Many of our mid- and senior-level professionals started with Parsons early in their careers. Others later joined our corporation. Several executives recounted their career paths that provide a road map to those seeking advancement possibilities at Parsons (excerpts taken from interviews).
"Parsons has provided me with a challenging and varied career. I graduated as a chemical engineer with the goal of building great process facilities. I was hired as a process engineer. A few years later, I chose to expand my role. My career path has included environmental and project engineering, project management, construction assistance, as well as various management positions in construction, procurement, operations, projects development, facilities. I am now our construction division business manager. Not all engineers want this variety; however, Parsons provides opportunities to grow and change careers without leaving the company. We offer our staff the ability to stay within their respective technical/engineering fields and achieve a high level of recognition. I have been associated with many, many projects that achieved my personal goal of building great facilities."
-Mary B., Vice President
"I joined Parsons directly following college and started my career as an associate engineer working on a drafting board. Every 18 months to two years, a new opportunity arose and I eagerly accepted each new assignment, advancing to engineer, then senior engineer, followed by managing other engineers in the mechanical engineering group. I then had the opportunity to move to a project engineering role overseeing the various engineering disciplines on projects, and that opened up an opportunity to move into project management. Then, I was presented with an opportunity in business development, which led to my promotion to division manager leading a start-up industrial division. I later became president of our commercial business unit, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), and am now the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the corporation. It has been a fun and stimulating career."
-Chuck Harrington, CEO
Transitioning to Retirement. While retirement may seem years away, many of our employees have benefited from our Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). We also value the knowledge and skills of seasoned professionals and, on occasion, can offer part-time, casual employment to retirees.
"I retired for three and a half years, and (then) I came back to work. I have a total of 32 years with the company. I, even to this day, am enjoying the rewards of ESOP. I have a comfortable retirement. I also have to thank Parsons, I met my present wife there."
-Manny S., former employee
