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MIT Lincoln Laboratory

Part of MIT

Engaged employer

A throwback to poorly managed companies - Anonymous employee MIT Lincoln Laboratory Employee Review

2.0
25 June 2018
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Employees seem to be very happy. They repeatedly smile and say "good morning", "hello", etc. to you multiple times each day. It's so much so, that their enthusiasm seems manufactured.

Cons

Meaningful internal communications seem to be completely absent. Limited folks have 1:1s with their managers. My manager virtually never speaks to me. A great cloud of secrecy seems to cover the place. If you have any progressive views of how a workforce should be managed, I highly recommend not working at MIT LL.

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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