Pros
The location in the Pacific North-West is definetly an added advantage. My immediate supervisor is very supportive and I like working in his group.
Cons
Oh boy, I'd take several days to write all the cons, however below are a couple of them that I've personally experienced: 1. At the tech-center in Mt Vernon, when "the chairman" comes for a visit, everyone right from the general manager to an intern is supposed to be clean shaven and wear formals. A week before his scheduled visit, everyone at the tech-center is busy moving plant pots, pictures hanging on the wall are changed, remodeling the cafeteria, painting the parking lot stripes and so on and so forth. They spend literally thousands and thousands of dollars for half a day of chairman's visit, but they cannot invest small amount of money on buying a decent coffee machine or setting up a gym or a basket-ball court. 2. Visible tattoos, ear piercings, facial hair is a big no-no. All the guys at the tech-center who decide not to shave their goatee/beard are shoved and locked in a room on the day our chairman comes for a visit. You gotta be kidding me..!! Employees are treated as dirt that can be shoved underneath a carpet. 3. Vacation policy, employee benefits suck big time. Employee salaries are way too less as compared to our competitors or the general industrial rates. 4. Tech-center is advertised to potential customers as a greatest center of innovation and excellence; in-fact tech-center is just there for trouble-shooting of issues in the field rather than and research or innovation related activities. Non existent product development work at the so called "tech-center". 5. The company runs "lean". Everyone from a manager/supervisor to engineer is supposed to get their hands dirty as the company wants to restrict the number of technicians hired. I don't get it..!! 6. You've to literally beg for the smallest of things to make them happen. Even the supervisors know that its important, but their hands are tied as no one is allowed to spend money allocated for employee development per year. 7. NO STOCK OPTIONS..!! The company might advertise itself as a having good stock prices, but the employees get nothing. All you get as a new hire package is relocation benefits and a one time pay of amount close to your monthly salary. 8. Company doesn't contribute for socio-economic development in the region. Most other companies have grants or projects setup.