ARA Awards and Recognition

ARA has outstanding benefits. We appreciate the contribution of every ARA employee and are committed to maintaining a benefit package that is one of the best in the world.

Company Level Awards

ARA Associate Award: Awarded to senior engineers and scientists who make significant technical contributions, have a national reputation in their field, demonstrate initiative and creativity in their work, and are dedicated to the goals and principles of ARA. Recipients are rewarded with $5,000 of ARA company stock plus other management compensations.

Harry E. Auld Young Engineer/Scientist Award: This award is presented to an engineer/scientist (35 years or under) who has been with ARA at least two years and who has demonstrated technical excellence, teamwork, leadership, innovation, communication skills, and active participation in professional societies. Recipients of this award receive $2,500 of ARA company stock.

Robert E. Walker Team Player(s) Award: Nominated by an ARA Division Manager or Officer, and awarded on an as-desired frequency, this award is given to an individual or team in recognition of superior performance exemplifying the ARA spirit of teamwork, cooperation, and technical excellence. Nominees of the award must have a history of involvement in successful interdivisional teamwork efforts to be awarded the $2,500 of ARA company stock.

Engineer/Scientist of the Year Award: This award is presented to an engineer/scientist (over the age of 35) who has been with ARA at least two years and who has demonstrated technical excellence, teamwork, leadership, innovation, communication skills, and active participation in professional societies. Recipients of this award receive $2,500 of ARA company stock.

Technical Publication Award: Awarded to a selected report or paper published in the previous 12 months that demonstrates originality and creativity and has potential impact outside of ARA. Recipients receive a cash honorarium.

Technical Achievement Award: Presented for development of a new idea, product, code, etc., which demonstrates unusual creativity. The achievement must be reduced to practice at ARA and to the maximum extent possible should be processed for a patent or copyright. Recipients receive a cash honorarium.

Business Development Award: This award recognizes the contributions of individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the growth of ARA. The award is conferred on those individuals who have bookings in excess of $1 Million. Division Managers are not eligible and employees may only win the award once. Recipients receive a cash honorarium.

Professional Support Staff Award: Presented to a professional support staff who has exhibited an extraordinary degree of initiative, produced high quality work, provided exemplary customer service, and sets an example for others. Recipients receive a cash honorarium and dinner for two.

Technician of the Year Award: Awarded to a highly professional engineering technician or aide who has exhibited an extraordinary degree of initiative and "can do" attitude, interacts well with others, produces high quality work, and sets an example for others. Recipients receive a cash bonus as well as dinner for two.

Administrator of the Year Award: This award recognizes unit administrators who significantly enhance office productivity through initiative, attitude, and leadership and demonstrates superior knowledge of administrative practices. Recipients receive a cash honorarium and dinner for two.

Administrative Support Staff of the Year Award: Presented to any administrative support staff member who demonstrates exceptional contributions to, or enhancements in, office productivity through initiative, efficiency, organization, or attitude. Recipients receive a cash honorarium and dinner for two.

Engineer/Scientist Recruiting Award: Awarded to an ARA employee who identifies a professional engineer or scientist who is subsequently successfully hired. Supervisors are not eligible for anyone hired in their unit.  Also, Division Managers and above are not eligible for this award.  Recipient receives a cash honorarium.

Journal Publications: Staff members who publish an article or paper in a refereed professional journal receive a cash honorarium.

Patentability Search: This award recognizes development of an invention that a company principal decides has patent potential. Recipients receive a cash bonus.

U.S. Patent: Awarded upon successful patentability search, decision to file a patent application by a company principal, and issuance of a patent. Recipients receive a cash award upon filing and upon issuance as well as a percentage of net patent revenues.

Foreign Patent: Awarded upon successful patentability search, decision to file a patent application by a company principal, and issuance of a patent. Recipients receive a cash award upon filing and upon issuance as well as a percentage of net patent revenues.

Copyright: Awarded for development of code or other written matter that needs to be copyrighted to protect ARA's interest. Recipient receives a cash bonus plus a percentage of net copyright revenues.

Trade Secret: This award recognizes development of an idea, process, new technology, or product that is not patentable, but is deemed to be valuable to ARA. Recipient receives a cash honorarium.

Service Awards: Employees at ARA are recognized for continuing service at 5 years, 10 years, 15 years, and 20 years.

Sector Level Awards

Distinguished Young Engineer/Scientist Award: This award recognizes the professional achievements of young ARA engineers/scientists at the sector level. The award is presented to an engineer/scientist (35 years or under) who has been with ARA at least two years and who has demonstrated technical excellence, teamwork, leadership, innovation, communication skills, and active participation in professional societies. Recipients of this award receive a cash honorarium.

Distinguished Engineer/Scientist Award: This award is presented, at the sector level, to an engineer/scientist (over the age of 35) who has been with ARA at least two years and who has demonstrated technical excellence, teamwork, leadership, innovation, communication skills, and active participation in professional societies. Recipients of this award receive a cash bonus.

Distinguished Technician Award: Awarded, at the sector level, to a highly professional engineering technician or aide who has exhibited an extraordinary degree of initiative and "can do" attitude, interacts well with others, produces high quality work, and sets an example for others. Recipients receive a cash bonus as well as dinner for two.

Distinguished Administrative Support Staff Award: Presented to a sector’s administrative support staff member who demonstrates exceptional contributions to, or enhancements in, office productivity through initiative, efficiency, organization, or attitude. Recipients receive a cash honorarium and dinner for two.

External Awards

Small Business Innovation Research: The Department of Defense's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program's purpose is to harness the innovative talents of our nation's small technology companies for U.S. military and economic strength. DoD's SBIR program funds early-stage research and development projects at small technology companies - projects which serve a DoD need and have the potential for commercialization in private sector and military markets. Proposals are judged competitively on the basis of scientific, technical, and commercial merit.  ARA has been the recipient of the Most SBIR Awards in New Mexico.

Lockheed Martin Astronautics' Best Small Supplier Award: Lockheed Martin Astronautics selected ARA to receive their 1998 Supplier Excellence Award as "Best Small Supplier" for our outstanding performance in determining the acoustic environment for several Evolvable Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) concepts.

The Society of American Military Engineers - Outstanding Member Award: The Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) is a non-profit professional engineer association, headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia with chapters worldwide. Founded in 1920 to engage military and federal government engineers with those in private life for the purpose of improving the engineering potential of the United States. The Society today has nearly 27,000 members from industry, military and government organizations, and academia. ARA is proud to have been recognized by the Society as an Outstanding Member and an Outstanding Sustainer Support.

Directed Energy Award: ARA was recently recognized at a directed energy symposium in Washington, D.C. as a Founding Sponsor of the Directed Energy Professional Society (DEPS). DEPS was founded in 1999 to foster research and development of directed energy technology for national defense and civil applications through professional communication and education.

ARA is an Equal Opportunity Employer

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