Kelly Siffin,
Director of Acquisition
Crane Division
Naval Surface Warfare Center
A Navy Base in Indiana?
25 MILES SOUTHWEST
OF BLOOMINGTON, IN
POOPs
• Scientists & Engineers: about 1000• Other Professionals: about 150• Technicians: over 800• Administrative: over 600
Crane’s Workforce: 3232 people
POOPs
• Crane’s Mission– Provide responsive acquisition, engineering,
logistics, and maintenance – for the Fleet’s weapon and electronic systems,
ordnance, and associated equipment and components,
– accomplished in partnership with industry, academia, and government.
POOPs
• “…So that students can understand the various facets of a particular field as well as to help them decide if the field is what they want…”
• “...Career opportunities for college graduates for which I will later be recruiting…”
• “...Entry-level requirements and what my recruiters look for in candidates…”
• “…Training and typical assignments within the first 3 to 5 years…”
• “…Typical paths into management…
• “…Some detail on day-to-day activities and responsibilities…”
POOPs
• Career opportunities for college graduates…– “Contract Specialist”– Negotiate and Administer Contracts– Baccalaureate Degree with at least 24 credit
hours in business is required by law.
POOPs
• Facets of the field…– A Sort of “Project Management”
• Technical, Schedule, Cost Management
– Strategic and Financial Analysis– Written and Oral Presentation of Proposals– Negotiation and Bargaining
And emailing, and meeting and typing, and copying, and filling out forms, and babysitting...
POOPs
• What my recruiters look for in candidates…– Analytical skills of a Kelley School graduate– Writing skills of an Arts & Sciences graduate– Law & policy skills of a SPEA / Law graduate– Logical and technological skills of an engineer– Shrewdness of a used car salesman
– ……but I can’t afford this person...but I can’t afford this person...
POOPs
• What my recruiters look for in candidates…– Degree and credit hours in business– Ability to write and speak well– Analytical capability with
• finances,
• rules,
• regulations
POOPs
• What my recruiters look for in candidates…
• Ct = (Ced + Cee + Ca)E– Ct is the value of your total contribution to the
organization, which is equal to...• Ced, the value of your education, plus
• Cee, the value of your experience, plus
• Ca, the value of your aptitude, multiplied by
• E - your EFFORT!» Professor James Colvard, IU SPEA
POOPs
• Typical assignments in the first 3 to 5 years– 16 weeks mandatory training (segmented into
blocks of 2 to 4 weeks)– OJT - pairing with “journeyman”– Web-based training– Specialized developmental assignments
• “rotation” through departments
• research projects & staff assignments
POOPs
• Typical assignments in the first 3 to 5 years– Work on an increasingly independent basis– Direct and independent customer interface as
capability is demonstrated and opportunities become available.
– Assigned “team leadership” (quasi-supervisory) role and/or sole management of a program area
POOPs
• Paths to Management…– Competence
– People Person
– Conformance while maintaining individual strengths
– Tough but fair
– Loyalty
– Willingness to travel
– Willingness to accept change
– Superior communication skills
– Few or no surprises… Keep your boss’s boss off your boss’s back
POOPs
• Most federal career opportunities are advertised at:
• http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/
POOPs
• Salaries for federal career opportunities are published at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) web site:
• http://www.opm.gov/