Alumni Spotlight: Amanda Edens on why she'll continue coming back to Leidos
Amanda Edens, an intelligence surveillance reconnaissance liaison officer (ISRLO) and ISR instructor for the Leidos Defense Group, trains U.S. Air Force intel personnel. Specifically, she helps them understand their roles and the unique aspects of U.S. Army communications to enable joint missions between the two branches.
Before her civilian career, Amanda spent six years in the Air Force on active duty, followed by another six years as a reservist. She explains that teaching Air Force members how to “speak Army" isn't her first role at Leidos – she formerly worked on a Leidos contract as an air defense intelligence analyst – but it's one she hopes to keep for as long as she can.
“Leidos helped me realize that I love teaching. I had no idea until I took this job," she says. Amanda, who came to the role with a relevant ISR background, received an instructor course and was introduced to veteran instructors who serve as her mentors.
“The support has been great, and I'm glad I can help maintain continuity as new military members come in or return from deployment," she says.
Why Amanda hopes to stay at Leidos
When she considers both her previous job with Leidos and her current one, Amanda says that while she holds a different role, the good things about Leidos remain the same.
“One thing that still holds true is that I find support with anything I need to do my job better. Even when I requested TDY (temporary duty yonder) to get additional training while on the job, they approved it," she says.
Amanda also appreciates that, even though she works on a contract with a time limit, Leidos looks out for her future employment. When her last contract was coming to a close, she remembers managers sharing her resumé across the entire organization to help her find her next role.
“Leaders at Leidos always try to find a good fit for people who work here or have in the past. As a contract nears its end, it's never just, 'Goodbye and good luck.' Instead, they try hard to keep us even if our contract doesn't get renewed," she says.
Another reason Amanda plans to continue working with Leidos is because she feels she gets the best of both the military and civilian worlds.
“I still get to serve even though I've left the service," she says. “I have clear expectations to meet, so it's like coming back home but with the flexibility of civilian life."
The comfortable and mutually beneficial fit that military veterans feel here is one reason Leidos has hired more than 9,000 military veterans, who make up 20% of our workforce. The expertise and leadership they bring are critical to our mission of making the world safer, healthier, and more efficient. Learn more about Operation MVP, our company-wide initiative to hire and support military veterans and spouses.
"Leidos is a really great company, especially for veterans. Their benefits and the way they treat employees is really awesome," Amanda says. “They instill a lot of trust in us."
If you've worked for Leidos or its subsidiaries, we invite you to join our Leidos Alumni Network and even consider returning. Browse our open job opportunities, and if you know someone who might enjoy working with us, please consider referring them. You could earn up to a $5,000 referral fee while helping them find their next job.
Leidos is a proud owner of multiple Veteran support awards:
-
2023 Military Times Best for Vets Employer (10 consecutive years)
-
2023 Department of Labor HIRE Vets Medallion Gold Award (three consecutive years)
-
2023 U.S. Veterans Magazine Best of the Best Employer (nine consecutive years)
-
2023 Forbes America’s Best Employers for Veterans (three consecutive years)
-
2024 Military.com Top Veteran Employer (three consecutive years)
