Great people and perks, terrible pay. - Production Scientist Promega Employee Review

3.0
7 Apr 2022
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- the people are truly great, and the highlight of the company. - there are lots of perks available. great cafeteria, workout facilities, mindfulness education, etc. - but access to these perks is dependent on the department you work in. hourly employees, or those in manufacturing generally don't have the time or flexibility in their schedule to take part in any of the perks.

Cons

-very low pay compared to other local companies, and comically low yearly increases and bonuses. 0-1% yearly raises were common through the pandemic, even this year, while the company continues with record profits and inflation is so high. they try to tout the perks as a reason for low pay, but certain groups like manufacturing, shipping, packaging, etc really don't have the same access to those perks, and are paid so poorly. -expensive health insurance plans, no dedicated maternity/paternity leave, 3 weeks vacation with a 2.5 day additional after 3 years. -Emotional Social Intelligence and work life balance is touted as important by upper management, but is very much treated like a joke, or something that is considered optional by lower managers. this results in a disorienting culture, where the company as a whole seems to be headed in the right direction, but there are still groups where managers are intense workaholics, micromanage, and really don't seem to care at all about their employees. this toxic environment results in groups with very high turnover, but upper managers continue to ignore it. -systemic chemistry issues in old products are continually ignored, given a bandaid and kicked down the road. migrating away from those chemistries is not an option because of their commitment to customers, which is a nice gesture, but not helpful if the chemistry has issues. -no diversity in upper management and very little at all until you get down to the lowest paying positions. and much like ESI, it is seen as optional or "that doesn't apply to us" for many groups that continue to hire more people that look just like them.

Explore other reviews about Promega

5.0
10 June 2026
Anonymous freelancer
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Good culture and location, honestly a nice environment

Cons

It does require lots of work

4.0
22 Jan 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Promega is kind of an old-school company, in the best sense. They hire people who are the best fit for the company, not just who may have the best credentials (but this is more important in R&D and product management roles). I've seen so many cases where someone really started at ground zero in terms of experience and rose up the ranks. It goes to show you that they do invest in their people, and that is why there's so many who have stuck around for decades. In my experience management is highly supportive of learning, innovation, and creativity, so if you have a good idea that shows promise you'll probably have the opportunity to explore it.

Cons

At times, there is such a strong focus on the newest thing, with the priorities changing very quickly. Due to this there are cases when there isn't enough time to develop a fully mature product, or gauge it's effectiveness. To be fair this is a problem in most organizations, but you can end up feeling a little disoriented by the rapidly shifting landscape. I would say this could be a challenging environment for someone who is slow to adapt or pick up new technical skills.

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