Pratt & Whitney has been a major economic driver in Georgia since 1984, and 33 years later it doubled down by committing more than $380 million in new investment in its Columbus campus, leading to more than 500 new careers.

“This is a great day for Georgia,” Governor Nathan Deal said earlier this month in the North Wing of the State Capitol as he, alongside Pratt & Whitney’s leadership and other economic development members, announced the major investment.

Pratt & Whitney designs and builds jet engines for commercial and military aircraft and is a unit of United Technologies. The newly added careers will span administration, supervisory and technical support, production and maintenance.

Georgia@Work spoke with Tom Bode, general manager of the Columbus Engine Center, to get more details on the new positions that will be created with this expansion, what potential applicants can expect from the application process, and what the timeline will be before interviews begin.

How many jobs will this expansion create?

We anticipate adding approximately 500 manufacturing and engineering jobs over the next five years at our Columbus location.

What is the makeup of those positions? What kind of work is it? What skills are needed to perform these positions?

There are a mix of positions available, including mechanics, maintenance professionals, inspectors, machinists, engineers, and various quality and operations positions. The skills, experience, and qualification specific to each position are provided in the posted job descriptions, which can be viewed online at http://www.pw.utc.com/Careers.

When will these positions be posted?

The positions we are hiring for in the next few months are currently posted online at http://www.pw.utc.com/Careers.

When will interviews begin?

Interviews have already started! As soon as qualified candidates are identified for our posted jobs, we initiate the interview process. We generally start with phone screens and then follow up with on-site interviews. In some cases, we hold interview “super days” where we interview several candidates on the same day.

What is the process for hiring for these roles? What can potential employees expect from the application process?

Once an individual applies for a position, resumes are screened to identify who has the qualifications, experience, education, and skills required for that job. From that shorter list, applicants are then contacted for a phone interview and, depending on the outcome of that conversation, are invited to an in-person interview.   

What's the salary range for these positions? Are benefits included?

Salaries will vary depending on a number of factors including type and level of position, experience, education, and skills. We offer a competitive total compensation package, including benefits for our regular positions.