Darren Burton
Chief People Officer, Amentum
Combining two top-tier government services companies into Amentum made for what Darren Burton describes as a “transformational year.”
With presence in 83 countries on all seven continents, Amentum has over 53,000 employees, of which 15,000 are STEM and engineering experts. Additionally, 50% of U.S. Amentum employees hold clearances — from frontline workers in forward deployed international locations, domestic trade union members, to traditional corporate employees.
“I thank our fantastic team whose tremendous efforts are key to the successful integration work we’ve completed and the work that is currently ongoing,” Burton said. “The team has harmonized the performance management program, launched annual required trainings, expanded on-demand learning to a greater percentage of employees, deployed an enterprise-wide employee listening strategy, and launched an employee stock purchase plan.”
Amentum focuses on providing the best value for clients, Burton said. The company is integrating AI and advanced analytics into core mission workflows, such as model-based systems engineering and secure digital environments. Enabling the workforce to use AI to interpret data and automate workflows makes operations safer, more efficient and less prone to downtime, he added.
Why Watch
In 2025 and beyond, Burton’s team is heavily focused on making Amentum the employer of choice – a place where people are proud to work and grow their careers. To attract and retain top talent, the company invests in early careers and scholarships, last year welcoming 179 interns across the enterprise, receiving eight veteran hiring program awards, and deploying data systems and tools to foundationally support talent.
“I challenged my team to focus not just on the here and now – i.e. integration and continuous operations – but also to think about future-state HR service delivery design, using AI-powered technologies to extend people analytics and power enterprise-wide talent acquisition,” Burton said.
Fun Fact: Burton is a certified rescue scuba diver.