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MIT Lincoln Laboratory

Part of MIT

Engaged employer

Eh - Assistant Staff MIT Lincoln Laboratory Employee Review

3.0
14 May 2018
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Benefits are pretty good. Pretty stable job.

Cons

Experience is very group and division dependent. Work-life balance is very dependent on specific projects. Nearly impossible to move up if you are not full technical staff without going back for a PhD. Sometimes full staff with PhDs look down upon the assistant and associate staff who do not have PhDs. Group management is typically lacking. Everyone seems to like managing projects and being technical, but very few "people" managers. Sometimes opportunities to work on and lead projects totally depends on clearance level.

Explore other reviews about MIT Lincoln Laboratory

5.0
3 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

It can vary a lot from group to group, but in general, wonderful place with wonderful people and lots of interesting work going on. Excellent benefits and lots of flexibility to explore different projects.

Cons

Little opportunity for advancement in terms of rank and compensation once you reach technical staff. Additionally (again varies from group to group) expectations of what a staff member does can be unclear and there can be a light sink-or-swim nature to the work, again depending on the group you're in.

4.0
17 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Worked with some of the smartest people I’ve ever known. Great opportunities to learn from your coworkers and an atmosphere that encourages learning, including a well-run technical education program. Fabulous support staff and technicians that can get seemingly impossible things done quickly. Great resources and lab spaces (if a bit dated). The nature of the work encourages good work/life balance. Fantastic benefits (though the pay is low).

Cons

No/limited opportunities for advancement makes this a hard place to work mid-career. Good engineers are promoted to be mediocre managers. Every program is under-funded, under-staffed, and over schedule. Bad managers are shuffled around but rarely fired.

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