Pros
- Love the research and collaborations with individuals on and off the lab. - Flexible schedule and the work culture allows for a healthy period of work/life balance; exploring additional educational benefits, and time off when needed. The Research center has very close ties to Silicon Valley companies and is very flexible in working with global partners compared to the other NASA Centers throughout the country. - Working on vital projects that will impact the planet.
Cons
- At times the politics of civil servant and government contractor in roles and responsiblites collides. - There is a slow lag in the basic necessaries for new hires (I.e., setting up new hires' computer and establishing necessary accounts beforehand (it took 2-3 weeks for me) and established employees (e.g, innovated ideas require tons of paperwork and meetings just to get noticed). However, with a bit of wit, resourcefulness, and a familiarity with government culture, a clever employee can figure out how to do clever job and work outside the box.