Ashley Jones 00:58
Hey podcast friends. We're glad that you're with us today. This is Ashley and I'm here with Rachel.
Rachel Bozeman 01:03
Well hello, listeners. I'm so happy to be here with all of you today.
Ashley Jones 01:09
And it sounds like the dogs in the studio are happy to be here today as well. But we've also got another guest on the line and it's Katie Gaither, Recruiting Director at Edgewater Technical Associates. welcome Katie.
Katie Gaither 01:21
Thank you. Nice to be here.
Rachel Bozeman 01:23
Katie, we are super glad you're here and we like to start from the very beginning. So we want to understand a little bit about your career progression. How in the heck did you end up at Edgewater Technical Associates?
Katie Gaither 01:35
So I actually went to college at University of Tennessee Knoxville and pursued a Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry and cellular and molecular biology. I always kind of felt a tug to work at the Oak Ridge National Lab, given my family's history in Oak Ridge. Growing up I was always fascinated by the history of the secret city of Oak Ridge, Tennessee that was formed by the Manhattan Project and my maternal grandfather's Top Secret work as a mechanical engineer at Y12. Later I learned my paternal grandfather was in the purchasing division of Union Carbide, a major DOD contractor in the area. And after I graduated college, I did not go into the medical field like I originally anticipated. And I was recruited to be a recruiter. So I started out as a technical recruiter, moved into a management role, and then a director role. I joined Edgewater in 2018 and progressed from the technical recruiter to the director within Edgewater. And I really enjoy being able to learn about the history and the operations of the nationwide DOE projects and I love supporting their various missions today.
Rachel Bozeman 02:43
Now that is a pretty cool backstory. So thank you for sharing that, Katie.
Ashley Jones 02:47
I agree. And I hear Katie that your company supports a lot of DOE projects across the nation. So what types of cleared contracts are you supporting?
Rachel Bozeman 02:55
So it sounds like there's nothing going on over there. Absolutely nothing to keep you busy.
Katie Gaither 02:55
So Edgewater is a professional and technical services firm supporting the Department of Energy US and Canadian commercial nuclear industries and private sector businesses. As a DOE nuclear operations contractor, we provide everything from nuclear operations, nuclear safety bases, multi-discipline engineering, regulatory compliance, waste management, work control, construction and infrastructure upgrades. The contracts that require cleared personnel are under Office of Science, Office of Environmental Management, and the National Nuclear Security Administration (or NNSA). With the majority of our cleared positions tied to projects under the NNSA and also the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, really, we see cleared personnel across the board. Just twiddling our thumbs.
Rachel Bozeman 03:48
No, what an incredible assortment of different opportunities for folks to work in. A lot of our podcast listeners are probably interested in, what are those specific opportunities? So do you mind sharing with us, what are the cleared positions that you're hiring for right now?
Katie Gaither 04:02
Currently, our strongest need is for engineers with bachelor's degrees in engineering (all disciplines). But we also are seeing a current need for project control specialists (both cost and schedule), project managers, work control planners, construction managers and superintendents, quality assurance and quality control, nuclear safety and emergency preparedness, and some administrative and IT roles like cybersecurity and software developers.
Rachel Bozeman 04:30
And so kind of piggybacking on that, where are these positions located?
Katie Gaither 04:34
We were originally founded at the Los Alamos National Laboratory and now support customers across the US. So you'll see that we have multiple cleared opportunities across the various Department of Energy sites, the Naval Nuclear Lab in the Schenectady, New York area and West Mifflin, Pennsylvania. NNSA projects in Irwin, Tennessee, which is the far northeast corner of Tennessee. Department of Energy and NNSA projects in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The Los Alamos National Laboratory and EM projects in Los Alamos. Eunice, New Mexico, the Nevada National Security site outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. The Paducah gaseous diffusion plant Paducah, Kentucky and the Savannah River site in Aiken, South Carolina, which is the neighboring town to Augusta, Georgia, which you all may know holds the annual Masters golf tournament every year. And then we do some work with the National Renewable Energy Lab in Golden Colorado.
Rachel Bozeman 05:30
So it sounds like you have weather for all candidates. You've got a spectrum there. They can have hot, they can have cold. They can have humidity, they can have none. All of those options. So just to take it one layer deeper, and something that certainly is of interest to most is just about the flexibility, as it relates to remote or hybrid work. So do you offer remote or hybrid opportunities for those cleared positions?
Katie Gaither 05:55
So the work arrangement is fully driven by what our various customers will allow. Remote opportunities for cleared employees are rare, just due to the fact of the security surrounding the work. We do occasionally see hybrid opportunities, but the majority of our cleared roles require an on-site presence. There is a nice work schedule, the 4/10s work schedule, where you just work Monday through Thursday and have long weekends. And you don't necessarily have to relocate to the area. Many of our projects offer a generous per diem package that covers lodging, meals, and a flight home once a month.
Ashley Jones 06:29
And speaking of relocating, you of course mentioned all the various locations you have available. So if a candidate is interested and ready to move, do you offer relocation benefits and things of that nature?
Katie Gaither 06:40
Yes, relocation assistance is generally something we can factor into all compensation packages, whether it's reimbursed expenses or a lump sum. But as I mentioned previously, we do have really nice per diem options. So you don't necessarily have to relocate right away. It can be something you can consider in the future. That way, you get a little taste of the area before you commit.
Rachel Bozeman 06:59
A little appetizer. That's always good, right? You know what you're getting into.
Katie Gaither 07:03
Especially when you're going across the country, right?
Rachel Bozeman 07:06
So you did mention kind of the spectrum of positions, and you talked a little bit about the needs, but when you kind of look across the full hiring needs that exists there, what would you say is the greatest need that you currently have?
Katie Gaither 07:19
By and far, our strongest need is for engineers. Those with bachelor's degrees in engineering, all disciplines, and all levels of experience, junior to senior. A background in design engineering is particularly desired for various projects as we support new construction and modification projects across our various locations.
Ashley Jones 07:40
Great. Well, you told us about some of the cleared jobs, but let's talk about the clearance piece specifically. I know with Department of Energy clearances, an L could be considered equivalent to a Secret, and a Q equivalent to a Top Secret. And since our audience is primarily DOD clearance holders, or maybe having that Secret / Top Secret versus the L or Q, do you see any issues with DOD clearances converting over to the Department of Energy clearances? Walk us through that process if someone has never had a DOE clearance before.
Katie Gaither 08:11
So as you said, the DOD Secret is equivalent to an L, and the DOD Top Secret is equivalent to a Q. It is pretty quick to convert the same level of clearance. If we have to upgrade a Secret to a Top Secret or a Q, it takes a little bit longer, but still relatively quick. The reciprocity or conversion if you have an active clearance going to the same level can occur in as little as a matter of weeks. Tack on maybe another month or two to go up a level. If you have an inactive DOD clearance, it's most likely a similar timeframe as obtaining a clearance for the first time. And right now it's taking about an average of three to six months to get an L and about six to 12 months to get a Q. Now some customers will allow us to have employees start while the clearance transfer or initiation is in process and then they'll have them do uncleared work until that comes in. And then other customers allow us to hire people on a contingent basis, get the clearance going, and once it's granted then we establish a start date.
Rachel Bozeman 09:19
Options. Gotta love them. So there's a little rumor going around Katie, that you might have a special fondness for Navy vets, particularly with a nuclear background. Do you want to speak to that rumor?
Katie Gaither 09:32
Navy nukes are of special interests due to their specialized direct experience with nuclear materials and processes. They are especially highly sought after by our customers managed by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, who develop naval nuclear propulsion technology and manufacture the fuel material for naval nuclear reactors that are used in the US subs and aircraft carriers.
Ashley Jones 09:55
Awesome. And I love getting to this portion of the show where we just get to pick your brain about some general job search tips. So what's one or two words of advice that you would have for cleared professionals in their job search? Maybe something that you've seen others do in the process that have just made everything move smoothly for everybody?
Katie Gaither 10:14
So a couple of things come to mind. One item, I think it's really important to understand your salary requirements and what you need to sustain your lifestyle, considering the major differences between military and civilian compensation packages. So really dig in and understand what you currently have, and what will be missing outside of just that paycheck, so that you can negotiate that with your compensation. And this will help us recruiters provide the best guidance for the best matching opportunity for you.
Rachel Bozeman 10:43
So an important part of any career, it's not just all of the skills and knowledge and talents that you bring to the table, but it's kind of about that culture and that teamwork, and all of those different pieces. And there's a quote out there, it comes by someone very famous, yourself, that says, "be someone that people want to work with." So why do you think that's so important?
Katie Gaither 11:03
Well, not only is it words that I live by, but ultimately our position is for our customers and employees to be successful by providing the highest quality customer service and providing a rewarding work experience for each employee. We are here to provide value to our customers, both our in house staff and our contract staff, and help them meet their missions, not only by having highly technical resources, but also being able to provide individuals who are able to be flexible and adapt to project challenges and delays, who have strong communication, interpersonal skills with the ability to work with different personalities, and also bring solutions to execute the customer's mission. So if you're someone that people want to work with, you will have a successful career all the way around.
Ashley Jones 11:55
Very true words. I believe you there. So Katie, how can our listeners get in touch with you and your team?
Katie Gaither 12:02
All of our jobs are posted on our website's career page, edgewatertech.net/careers. But we love to connect with candidates outside of our current openings, so we can introduce our company and projects and get you lined up to stay in touch on the right opportunities as they come along. If you go to our webpage, you will see that you can email us a resume and details on your job search to jobs@edgewatertech.net. And then that will allow us to connect you with the recruiter to discuss the right opportunities for you, whether you're looking now or whether we want to stay in touch in the future.
Rachel Bozeman 12:38
Well, Katie, it was an absolute pleasure having you on today. Thanks so much for sharing all of your pearls of wisdom and sharing a little bit more about the organization at Edgewater, a little bit more about you, and some of the great career opportunities that are available. Thanks so much for stopping by.
Katie Gaither 12:54
Thanks, Rachel and Ashley.
Ashley Jones 12:55
Thank you, Katie. What a fun conversation with Katie. Always a good time to be on the show with you, Rachel. And I think it's always fun talking about the DOE clearances. We talk about Secret, Top Secret, Polygraphs, you know all of those things on the DOD side of the cleared world so often on our podcast, but it's not all the time that we talk about the L's and the Q's. And I love that she was able to give some specific timeframes. Even if it's your first time applying for a clearance, how long that wait can be. If you already have it, how it might only take a couple of weeks to transfer over. Some really good information to kind of help you plan the timelines of your job search if you are moving from one cleared community to another. So that was great to hear. What about you, Rachel? What did you learn today?
Rachel Bozeman 13:38
I think that was such great information. It was fun hearing about the L's and Q's. But again, so much great information. But what I really appreciated about Katie was her motivation into the work in which she supports. It was personal to her. And I think the personal really translated over to the passion she has for really connecting candidates into the right career. It's something she believes in and I think that's such an important takeaway for all of us in our everyday life is remembering why we do what we do and helps us just do it that much better. So I had an awful good time with you as always, Ashley. It's always a pleasure getting to talk with you, my friend. And it's always a pleasure when all of you out there in podcast land get an opportunity to learn with us. So congratulations to you all. You have all earned another stamp in your podcast passport. Congratulations on that. And I would venture to say, if you've made it this far into the conversation, you probably already follow our show, but in the rare occasion that you do not, make sure you get out there and give us a follow. Until next time, bye.