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MIT Lincoln Laboratory

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Interesting tech, lack luster management - Anonymous employee MIT Lincoln Laboratory Employee Review

4.0
8 June 2015
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Smart people, lots of interesting talks all of the time, ability to continue education, decent pay and good benefits

Cons

Pretty poor management (in my experience, it will vary by group), work is often periodic very slow and then very busy, not much upward mobility without a new degree

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MIT Lincoln Laboratory Response
10y
We are pleased that you are finding the Laboratory to be an interesting and collegial place to work. We are continuously trying to improve the preparation and training for managers. For the most part, our managers are promoted from within so we have opportunity to do better on training. We are also very aware of the need to continuously improve our onboarding practices. We have instituted mentoring programs and employee groups to help new employees to better navigate their careers. Thank you for your comments and insights.

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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