Survey

Why is it hard to attract and retain talented

technical candidates? Is it just salary or a
combination of factors that lead employees
to look for new opportunity?
SimSTAFF 2013 Salary & Compensation
Im
joining
you!
SimSTAFF wanted to find out the main motivators driving individuals to
look for new roles. We surveyed our database of over 11,000 individuals
within the Simulation & Training community and asked the following
questions:
1. What is the closest job title for your current position?
2. What is your level of experience?
3. What is the highest level of school you have completed or the
highest degree you have received?
4. What size of company do you work for?
5. Are you satisfied with your employee benefits, neither satisfied nor
dissatisfied with them, or dissatisfied with them?
6. What are your annual salary expectations - expressed in thousands?
7. How likely are you to look for another job outside the company?
8. What are your reasons for leaving this company?
9. How well are you paid for the work you do?
10. How many opportunities do you have to get promoted where you work?
11. How challenging is your job?
12. How meaningful is your work?
13. What are your views on the state of the Simulation Industry?
Introduction page 1
List of survey questions page 2
Survey data and responses pages 4 -15
Job Titles of those who are not at all likely to look
for another job page 16
About SimSTAFF page 17
How to use salary data page 17
Salary ranges pages 18, 19

Table of contents
The Simulation and Training Industry has a wide variety of Job Titles we selected 33
Titles to help respondents complete the survey.
With such evidence of
specialization what
does that mean for
those coming into the
industry?
0.0%
2.0%
4.0%
6.0%
8.0%
10.0%
12.0%
14.0%
16.0%
What Is The Closest Job Title For Your Current Position?
More than 77% of
respondents have over
10 years experience. Add
those with over 5 years
experience, more than
92% of respondents are
highly marketable!
What does that say for
the industry ?
Are we failing to
attract the younger
generation?
8%
15%
77%
What Is Your Level Of Experience?
1-5 Years
5- 10 Years
10+ Years
Over 75% of respondents
have a Bachelors Degree or
Higher, with the largest
majority being Masters level
at 42.3%
With less than 4%
of Degrees STEM
related - the
industry will soon
face a shortage of
qualified
candidates
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
35.0%
40.0%
45.0%
Some College But
No Degree
Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Masters Degree Doctorate Degree
What Is Your Highest Level Of Education?
Almost half of
respondents work in
large Companies!
(versus the National
outlook of 0.06%
Does that mean they have
more time to respond to
surveys? Are they are more
vested in progressing the
Simulation Industry as a
whole or is the Industry
dominated by Big Business?
Small (1-50
Employees)
21%
Mid (51-500
Employees)
29%
Large (500+
Employees)
50%
What Size Of Company Do You Work For?
Over 60% said
they were
Slightly,
Moderately or
Extremely
satisfied
17%
31%
12%
15%
9%
8%
8%
Are You Satisfied With Your Employee Benefits?
Extremely Satisfied
Moderately Satisfied
Slightly Satisfied
Niether Satisfied Nor
Dissatisfied
Slightly Dissatisfied
Moderately
Dissatisfied
Extremely Dissatisfied


Worryingly for
Employers - over half of
respondents were Very
or Extremely likely to
look for another job.

Add the numbers of
those on the fence
slightly or moderately
likely to look and there is
a combined pool of over
91% of employees at
risk.


Who are the 9%
who are not at all
likely to look?
See page 16
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
35.0%
How Likely Are You To Look For Another
Job?
30%
10%
18%
9%
25%
10%
9%
Better opportunties
Company Leadership
Contract Not funded
Industry Changes
Pay or Salary
Misc
Not Leaving
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%
Why candidates are leaving
We classed a variety of responses into groups. Better opportunities encompasses responses
ranging from more promotions and more challenges to flexible work arrangements. Miscellaneous
responses covered location, cost of living and personal reasons.
Simulation work must pay well. When less than 10% of respondents complain
about pay levels salaries must be good!
What is the
disconnect for
employers? most
are satisfied but
25% answered
they were looking
for salary
increases!
8%
32%
38%
13%
9%
How Well Are You Paid For The Work You Do?
Extremely Well
Very Well
Moderately Well
Slightly Well
Not At All Well
A very large
proportion at 72.4%
had few or no
opportunities for
promotion at work!
Was lack of
promotion a key
motivational factor
for the 30% looking
for better
opportunities?
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
35.0%
40.0%
A Great Deal A Lot A Moderate Amount A Few None At All
How Many Opportunities Do You Have To Get
Promoted Where You Work?
Employees are not bored in the Simulation Industry.
Only 5.2% were not challenged in their work.
Clearly the
Simulation Industry
is interesting, even
to the highly
educated!
13%
38%
32%
12%
5%
How Challenging Is Your Job?
Extremely Challenging Very Challenging
Moderately Challenging Slightly Challenging
Not At All Challenging
Very few
respondents felt
their work was
not meaningful
3.4%
It is a great reflection on
the industry when so
many employees think
their work is very or
extremely meaningful at
61%
Extremely Meaningful Very Meaningful Moderately
Meaningful
Slightly Meaningful Not At All Meaningful
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
35.0%
40.0%
45.0%
How Meaningful Is Your Work?

Views on state of the Simulation Industry
Having been in
gaming a few
years now
simulation seems
to be a bit behind
graphically and
artistically
I anticipate simulation will
withstand sequestration much
better than some other defense
industries. It is highly competitive
though
very good,
as the DoD budget
shrinks simulation is
more readily
accepted
Simulation is vital
in reducing costs
for training and in
improving safety
in the workplace
It's really rocky right now.
Larger companies are really
hurting for business with the
defense budget cuts. I
actually feel safer in a
smaller company, because
they offer cheaper contracts,
so the defense industry is
turning to them right now
Simulation technology has
improved with relevant databases
however has some ways to go in
terms of simulator to actual
aircraft response and tactile
feedback
the mantra
should be when
the economy is
down, simulation
should be up
It's currently still too
DoD-centric. There's
a lot of room for
innovation in
medical and
education. I fear for
our local sim
industry
I think it is incredibly
bloated and 10 years
behind the game
industry
.. started in the Links blue canoe and retired
teaching the F mdl ch47 helicopter device.
Industry is growing in leaps and bounds.
From a chart on a table top with an ink
rolled line to six camera visual is absolutely
beautiful!
all but war is simulation
The industry needs to offer entry
level positions to allow one to gain
experience to fill the high level
positions.
Sequestration is going
to hurt, a lot.
Degrading. Without the
big companies taking the
integration of Video
Game Technology more
seriously the Govt will
quite literally stop buying
"big box" products
This chart represents the respondents
who are not likely to be tempted by
other job offers:

Twice the norm say they are extremely
well paid. MONEY DOES BRING
HAPPINESS!

Two thirds more than the norm are also
challenged by their work KEEP THEM
BUSY!

More than twice the norm viewed their
work as Extremely Meaningful and
thought their benefits were Extremely
satisfying!
Remember this
happy group
is only 9% of
respondents
0.0%
2.0%
4.0%
6.0%
8.0%
10.0%
12.0%
14.0%
16.0%
18.0%
20.0%
Those who are Not At All Likely To Look By Job Title
About SimSTAFF Technical Services
Established in 2006 SimSTAFF focused on the local high technology community involved in
Modeling, Simulation & Training. SimSTAFF has a proven track record of supporting clients with
rapid, responsive and effective recruitment solutions. Now serving clients across the US and UK
with many candidates being deployed in the Middle East.

2603 Challenger Tech Ct, Ste 130
Orlando, FL 32826.
Tel: 407-965-2596
Fax: 407- 264-8887
Email: sales@simstaff or jirving@simstaff.com www.simstaff.com
How to use the salary data.
SimSTAFF took the respondents salary response data and discounted any responses
that appeared either extremely high or low. The ranges are rounded up or down for
ease. Use the Bureau of Labor Statistics ranges for geographic increase or
decreases dependent upon location. Go to
http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oessrcma.htm
Choose your state or Metro area then choose Occupational Title for the latest BLS
2012 survey. Note: If you click on the Highlighted Occupational Title there are links
to National Statistics.


Salary Range Information
Job Title 1- 5 years exp 5-10 yrs exp 10+ yrs
Applications Programmer 30 - 50 50 - 90 90 - 110
Business Development 70 - 85 90 - 115 110 - 150
Capture Manager 60 - 80 80 - 110 110 - 135
Chief Engineer 80 - 95 95 - 130 130 - 160
Contracts Scheduler Planner 40 - 50 50 - 60 60 - 80
Cost Financial Control 40 - 60 60 - 80 80 - 120
Cyber Security 60 - 75 75 - 95 95 - 135
Electrical Engineer 60 - 75 75 - 90 75 - 100
Field Engineer 45 - 60 60 - 70 70 - 90
Game Developer 55 - 70 70 - 85 85 - 100
GIS Analyst 40 - 50 50 - 60 60 - 80
Graphic Artist 35 - 45 45 - 55 55 - 70
Human Factors 40 - 65 65 - 90 90 - 110
Instructional Designer 50 - 60 60 - 75 75 - 90
Instructor Pilot 55 - 70 70 - 85 85 - 120
Salary Range Information
Job Title 1- 5 years exp 5-10 yrs exp 10+ yrs
Mechanical Engineer 40 - 55 55 - 80 80 - 100
Multi Media Developer 40 - 50 50 - 65 65 - 80
Network Engineer 45 - 60 60 - 75 75 - 105
Principal Engineer 75 - 85 85 - 105 105 - 150
Program Manager 70 - 85 85 - 110 110 - 135
Project Engineer 60 - 75 75 - 85 85 - 120
Quality Engineer 40 - 50 50 - 60 60 - 75
Simulator Technician 40 - 55 55 - 70 70 - 80
Software Engineer 60 - 75 75 - 90 90 - 110
Staff Engineer 80 - 90 90 - 110 110 - 130
Subject Matter Expert 45 - 60 65 - 80 80 - 100
System Administrator 50 - 60 60 - 75 75 - 95
Systems Engineer 60 - 75 75 - 100 100 - 130
Technical Writer 40 - 55 55 - 70 70- 80
Visual Systems Engineer 60 - 70 70 - 80 80 - 100
Web/IT Programmer 45 - 60 60 - 75 75 - 115