Overall positive experience - Design Engineer Garmin Employee Review

4.0
22 Jul 2012
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

I work in aviation engineering. My review applies to the aviation engineering not consumer engineering. Excellent benefits. Average pay. Great work environment. Casual. Management is NOT big-headed. They are involved and helpful. Sometimes they micromanage, but it's not done on purpose. It's done with genuine good intention (and ignorance). If you're not a fearful person, you can be open with anyone. _Everyone_ is a genuinely good person. The majority of people are intelligent too. Job security. Hard work is noticed and rewarded.

Cons

I work in aviation engineering. My review applies to the aviation engineering not consumer engineering. Aviation is growing into having a big company feel. It's burdened with process. I personally have a hard time seeing how the process really improves the product and customer experience. One can still guide change, but it's microscopic change. Engineers are thinking less and simply following the process. 'You must follow the process!!!' Not many people think outside of the box. The engineers have great technical capability and analytical intelligence but little perspective on what engineering's role in a company is. Less than half of the work is engineering these days. The engineers _are_ the ones that make it that way, but I don't think they realize that. I think the engineers tend to think it's the FAA and other regulatory agencies that make it that way. If you're OK being someone that simply shows up for work and does what's required of you, then you will probably find the company does not have many cons. I personally feel like I'm often doing work that is somewhat empty.

Explore other reviews about Garmin

5.0
9 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Culture, benefits, pay, and onsite gym.

Cons

Time off is not up to industry standard.

3.0
3 Apr 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Good benefits and work life balance. It's a good culture and I've never worked at a place where your immediate peers are this helpful and pleasant to work with, even across teams and offices. If you want to just come in and do just what is required for your job and go home with the knowledge you have a stable job, this is the perfect place to work. I'd only recommend working here if you just want a job, but don't care about a career.

Cons

There is poor career advancement, especially if you aren't male. Leadership does not care about leading people. The RTO has made working here less appealing. The excuse that you can't collaborate unless you are in the same building makes no sense when you work with people in 6 different countries. It is about control and appearances, all due to incredibly poor senior leadership strategies. The pay is also low and so is the quality of the software you work on. Leadership likes to talk quality, but they like fast and cheap. They will not support you in actual software quality nor implement changes to improve it. The same issues happen over and over without improvement.

8
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