How to Get a Job at Lockheed Martin: A Comprehensive Guide

Landing a job at Lockheed Martin provides diverse career opportunities in software development, cyber security, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering. You don’t need vast amounts of experience to work at Lockheed Martin, especially if you go through their internship program.

Whether you are in the middle of your career or just starting out, there are plenty of pathways for you to work at Lockheed Martin. This definitive guide will help you learn how to get hired at Lockheed Martin. We’ll cover the company’s background and details about the application and interview process, as well as some of the available job opportunities. 

Key Takeaways

• Lockheed Martin is the largest defense contractor for the US military, known for advanced technology.
• The company offers diverse career opportunities in software development, cyber security, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering.
• The Lockheed Martin hiring process starts with applicants searching for and applying to vacancies on its official website by submitting tailored resumes and cover letters.
• If progressed to the next stage, the interview process includes phone and in-person interviews.
• Lockheed Martin employees enjoy benefits like professional development opportunities, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and rewards and recognition programs.
• To increase your chances of landing a job at Lockheed Martin, research the company, network extensively, apply to multiple suitable positions, and consider internship opportunities.

Lockheed Martin: Company Background 

The Lockheed Martin Corporation was formed in 1995 when the Glenn L. Martin Company and the Lockheed Aircraft Company merged. The combination of these two major defense companies made Lockheed Martin Corporation the largest defense contractor for the US military. Its headquarters are in Bethesda, MD, about half an hour from Washington DC, but it also has large facilities in Texas and Colorado.

Lockheed Martin builds advanced technology with unique advantages for defense. They have large teams of engineers working to improve missiles, spacecraft, military aircraft, and undersea systems. In addition to working closely with the military, Lockheed Martin hires many veterans. In fact, one out of five employees is a veteran of the US military.

How to Get a Job at Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin is driven to help develop its employees through mentoring, training, and leadership development opportunities. Lockheed Martin looks for people who demonstrate talent and, above all, the potential to be the best of the best. Getting a job at this company comes with job security and numerous other benefits. These include:

• Wellness-related employee programs/networks
• Health insurance
• Sick and bereavement leave
• Retirement savings plan
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave

Lockheed Martin has programs in aeronautics, space, missiles, cyber security, and more. Within these divisions are job openings in systems engineering, electrical engineering, advanced manufacturing operations, and software engineering. There are a lot of opportunities for diverse talent hoping to work at Lockheed Martin.

Lockheed Martin Application and Interview Process 

To start the Lockheed Martin application process, find a job on their website that you want to apply to. Create an account on their official website to submit your resume and complete your online profile. Applications are only available online, do not apply through a third-party site. Make sure to tailor your resume and cover letter for each job description. 

If your application is successful, you will receive a notification via email or phone call to schedule your Lockheed Martin job interview. First, you’ll have a phone interview followed by an in-person interview conducted by the recruiting manager. 

Lockheed Martin’s interview questions and process are designed to help the hiring manager assess your technical skills related to the job description as well as communication skills, critical thinking skills, ability to make decisions about complex challenges, and team-building capability. 

The last step in the Lockheed Martin job application process is a background check. Then, if you are selected for the job, you will receive an offer letter. For some roles, you’ll need to apply for a certain level of government security clearance to complete the hiring process.

Applying for a Job at Lockheed Martin

To find open jobs at Lockheed Martin, regularly check the careers page on their website and sign up for their Talent Network. You can also try to connect with current employees via LinkedIn to find upcoming or existing opportunities. This is a good way to get first-hand information about the company and what it seeks from its potential recruits. 

You find an open position through job boards, but you should only apply for Lockheed Martin jobs through their website. You can apply for several positions at the same time as long as these positions fit your background, skills, experience, and interests. Applying for more than one position won’t affect the hiring process.

Common Lockheed Martin Interview Questions

Lockheed Martin interview questions will range from technical to behavioral interview questions. Be prepared to answer questions about all the software, hardware, and strategies listed in the job description. Some questions you might be asked are:

• Can you describe your experience with the technical programs listed in the job description?
• How do you like to manage your time at work?
• What qualities do you have that will allow you to be successful in this role?
• What do you think will be your biggest challenge in this role?
• Describe a time when you failed at work and how you moved on from the failure.

Applying for a Job at Lockheed Martin: Top Tips

Buff Up Your Resume

You should update your resume every time you apply for a new position, using the job description as a guide. The goal is to demonstrate that you meet a wide range of the job requirements. Pay attention to specific software and platforms mentioned in the job description and highlight your experience with those technologies.

Find Good References

Employee character is especially important at Lockheed Martin because they work closely with the US government and military on classified projects. Job seekers might have to provide both work and character references. Choose people who know your work or character well, and who can give specific examples of your positive qualities.

Network With Current Employees

Making connections with people who work at Lockheed Martin is extremely valuable. They can tell you more about the hiring process and what it’s like to work there. In some cases, they might be able to tell you about an upcoming job opening or put in a good word for you with the hiring manager.

What’s It Like to Work at Lockheed Martin?

Lockheed Martin employs over 114,000 employees around the world. Employees give working at Lockheed Martin 4.1 out of five stars, noting the great benefits package, flexible schedules, and interesting projects as key advantages. Below are other benefits you can expect when working at Lockheed Martin:

Professional Development Opportunities 

Lockheed Martin is dedicated to ensuring its employees are constantly improving themselves. There is plenty of training available to help you become the best in your field, including leadership development programs to prepare you to advance in your career.

Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives

Lockheed Martin appreciates the diverse range of knowledge that people can bring to a team when they come from different backgrounds. Each business area has an Inclusion Council to work on improving diversity and inclusion at the company.

Rewards and Recognition

Lockheed Martin isn’t stingy with recognition for employees who do a good job. It awards employees who exceed expectations and help the company improve. Among the awards it grants are the Special Recognition Awards, NOVA Awards, Patents and Innovations, Longevity Awards, and Spot Awards.

Lockheed Martin Career Opportunities: Job Titles and Descriptions

Now that you know about the application and interview process of Lockheed Martin, let’s look at some open Lockheed Martin jobs. Some Lockheed Martin employment opportunities have strict technical requirements and require a security clearance. Here are a few positions with details on job responsibilities, salary, and benefits:

Data Engineer

• Salary: $75,000 to $125,000
• Benefits: Competitive pay, health insurance, paid time off, retirement plan, parental leave, professional development
• Level: Mid-career
• Required Experience: Two years
• Required Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or related field plus two years experience or master’s degree

As a data engineer, you must have strong analytical skills, knowledge of the data lifecycle and modeling principles, and computer programming experience. Candidates who have experience with HANA are preferred, but candidates with significant experience with Erwin, SQL, Oracle, or Redhat will also be considered.

A key responsibility in this role is working with diverse stakeholders to make business decisions, so applicants should have a strong understanding of business principles and good communication skills.

System Integration Engineer

• Salary: $102,000 to $170,000
• Benefits: Competitive pay, health insurance, paid time off, retirement plan, parental leave, professional development
• Level: Mid-career
• Required Experience: 1 or more years
• Required Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering or equivalent

In addition to a bachelor’s degree, candidates should have a working knowledge of the systems engineering process from studies to design reviews to verification. This role is for problem solvers who can take a systems-thinking approach and interact with both software and hardware. This position is only open to US citizens who can get government security clearance.

Software Developer

• Salary: $60,000 to $101,000
• Benefits: Competitive pay, health insurance, paid time off, retirement plan, parental leave, professional development
• Level: Mid-career
• Required Experience: N/A
• Required Education: N/A

This is an exceptional position for you if you have full stack web development skills in different languages. You’re eligible for the position if you are fluent in Java, JavaScript, CSS, HTML, Redux, and React. Familiarity with Linux, Google Web Toolkit, MySQL, Git, and Agile development is an asset, but not strictly necessary.

Cloud Engineer

• Salary: $106,000 to $162,000 
• Benefits: Competitive pay, health insurance, paid time off, retirement plan, parental leave, professional development
• Level: Mid-career
• Required Experience: N/A
• Required Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Software Engineering or a related field

As a cloud software engineer, you will be responsible for software design and development in cloud technologies. You’ll also be implementing, testing, and debugging in an Agile environment. For this position, you need experience in C, C++, Java, Python, Go, Rust, or Ruby. A background in Linux OS will give your application a boost. 

Electrical Engineer

• Salary: $90,000 to $132,000
• Benefits: Competitive pay, health insurance, paid time off, retirement plan, parental leave, professional development
• Level: Early career
• Required Experience: None
• Required Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering

As an electrical engineer at Lockheed Martin, you’ll work with a team to build electrical circuits for spacecraft. For this position, you must be a US citizen and obtain a government security clearance. The position is designed for an early career engineer, so all you need is a basic understanding of electrical circuit and component design and analysis.

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What Does It Take to Get a Job at Lockheed Martin? 

If you want to work at Lockheed Martin, you aren’t alone. The hiring process is competitive because of the company’s strong reputation, but it isn’t impossible. Lockheed Martin hires applicants who are self-driven and passionate about finding solutions. 

Getting a job at Lockheed Martin means finding the right job postings and making connections with hiring managers. Research the company and network with employees as much as you can. Check Lockheed Martin’s calendar of events to see when their recruiters will be in your area. You can also take part in their virtual charts.

Besides building your professional network, the best way to get hired at Lockheed Martin is to apply to multiple job postings that fit your skillset. If you are still in college, apply for the Lockheed Martin Intern Academy. It might take a few tries for you to land a job at Lockheed Martin, but you’ll be rewarded with a good career with plenty of benefits.

Frequently Asked Questions