Labs recognized as one of America's top large employers

Like most large companies, Sandia strives to provide a desirable, supportive workplace where employees can excel and advance professionally while receiving competitive salaries and benefits.

Forbes recognized Sandia on three 2026 lists: America’s Best Large Employers, America’s Dream Employers and America’s Best Employers for Company Culture. The annual rankings use distinct methodologies. The large-employer and company-culture lists each draw on surveys of more than 217,000 U.S. employees at companies that employ more than 5,000 people, while the dream-employer list draws on surveys of more than 10,000 U.S. college students and more than 140,000 employees.

America’s Best Large Employers – Aerospace & Defense

For this list, anonymous survey respondents were asked whether they would recommend their employer to others based on a range of criteria, including salary, work environment, benefits and opportunities for advancement. Participants also were asked whether they would recommend employers they had worked for in the previous two years and employers they knew through industry experience or through friends or family members who worked there.

Responses were tallied and analyzed with survey data from the previous three years, allowing analysts to distinguish organizations that consistently performed well from those that may have had a single strong year.

Sandia ranked number 205 among 700 employers.

America’s Dream Employers – Aerospace & Defense

Forbes partnered with market research firm Statista to survey more than 10,000 U.S. college students and more than 140,000 employees over three years at U.S. companies and institutions with at least 1,000 employees.

According to Forbes, 86% of Gen Z respondents and 84% of millennial respondents said they seek mentorship and guidance at work, while 89% of both generations said they want on-the-job learning. More than half of respondents in both generations said meaningful work is very important when considering a potential employer.

The top career goals reported by both Gen Z respondents and millennials were financial independence and a healthy work-life balance.

Students also were asked how appealing the employer was based on growth opportunities, quality of work, salary and company reputation.

According to Forbes, employers making the Dream Employer list offer generous compensation, mission-driven initiatives, challenging assignments, flexible schedules and benefits that support mental well-being.

Sandia ranked number 195 among 500 employers.

America’s Best Employers for Company Culture

The 2026 America’s Best Employers for Company Culture ranking is based on anonymous survey responses from employees evaluating their employers’ cultures. Participants answered questions about whether employees were treated fairly and respectfully, were passionate about their employers’ products or services and whether they felt empowered to take initiative and develop new ideas.

Survey analysts also researched each organization’s culture-related practices, such as the composition of its leadership team, and incorporated those findings into the final score.

Sandia ranked number 494 among 600 employers.

Attracting talent is tantamount

In fiscal year 2025, the most recent year for which Sandia has data, the Labs operated with a nearly $5.6 billion budget and a workforce of 16,320 at sites in New Mexico, California, Nevada, Hawaii, Alaska, Texas, Minnesota and the Washington, D.C., area. That’s a lot of ground to cover.

“In this competitive market, we are fortunate that our mission is meaningful, rooted in national and global security advanced through cutting-edge science, technology and engineering,” said Brian Carter, executive director and chief human resources officer for Sandia.

“We know that, fundamentally, Sandia Labs’ success comes through our people,” Brian said. “So to attract top talent, we want to ensure employees know they’re important and valued, contribute to a mission with immense purpose and impacts, have opportunities for professional growth and advancement, enjoy a solid work-life balance, receive competitive compensation and benefits, and more.”

Built-in career mobility and work-life equilibrium

Because Sandia is a multifaceted research and engineering laboratory, many employees can build rich career paths that span multiple areas and enjoy professional mobility without leaving the Labs.

“Ours is an environment where everyone can learn from top scientists, engineers and business professionals through abundant scientific disciplines, at Sandia and beyond, using world-class research tools and facilities,” Brian said. “This fertile environment enables our employees to dive deep into their respective disciplines or explore their interests and expand their expertise in new areas of investigation — all without having to transition from employer to employer, company to company or industry to industry.”

To attract new employees and retain existing talent, Sandia offers flexible work arrangements, convenient on-site facilities and services, family and community activities and an array of health and wellness programs that support work-life balance.

“We’re honored to be recognized by Forbes in three categories, especially because these rankings reflect the experiences and perspectives of our workforce,” Labs Director Laura McGill said. “People come to Sandia Labs because they want to solve meaningful problems alongside exceptional colleagues. As the nation’s premier engineering laboratory, we advance national security and U.S. technological advantage. We create an environment where talented people can do the best work of their careers.”