Population Council Reviews

Lack of vision: Pop Council truly is trying to find itself now and has no clear idea of what areas of research it wants to continue, discontinue, or enter. Horrible management: everything is run by consensus even from those without expertise which takes forever; a TON of nepotism and office politics Lack of security: almost all positions are contractual (1-2 years) even if treated like permanent, and with few exceptions almost completely funded by outside grants; people are hired and let go almost whimsically; great talent sometimes has to be let go, because there is no funding structure to help the Council retain them if a grant expires No career growth: we all say that the only way to get a promotion is to leave and come back; training is non-existent; mentoring/grooming does not happen Salaries below average for NYC area Vortex: Beware, this place is too comfy. While there are a lot of problems, the work atmosphere and benefits are spectacular. Most people stay way too long without a promotion or raise, which really hurts long-term career and salary goals. Keep in mind most positions are contractual, so there's no job growth AND no job security, a bad combination.

Leadership doesn't even try to fix the consistent, systemic issues at the Council that result in significant staff turnover. Pop Council's reputation has continued to suffer as a result. I left to preserve any semblance of dignity left.