Pros
Gryphon was an amazing first job. The company is small so you know literally everyone, from the other RAs to the owner, and don't have to deal with really any bureaucracy. Some of the projects are fascinating and not the kind of stuff that you'll get to work on at many other companies. The work is also challenging (you're often trying to answer questions that have never been answered before) which was frustrating at times but definitely improved my critical thinking skills significantly. Work-life balance is great; I don't think I ever worked over 40 hrs/wk while I was there. The people are all super smart and supportive which makes going to work each day enjoyable. Turnover is really low, especially among senior employees, so you can find some really good long-term mentors.. And there are office dogs that are very cute and friendly!
Cons
The pay could be... better. Especially since most younger employees live in DC, it was challenging to both live in the city and save much money while working at Gryphon. A lot of what you're doing, especially as an RA, is literature-based research which means lots of searching on PubMed and reading articles. Some people love this but it wasn't an ideal working situation for me. Although there is career progression for someone with just a bachelors, and no explicit requirement for an advanced degree, the majority of the senior people have PhDs or Master's degrees. It seemed to me that I'd have to stay at Gryphon for 7-10 years to take on a more managerial role without getting an advanced degree first. I also felt that the organization was already a little top-heavy.