Pros
It is really wonderful to think broadly about science and interact with top scientists in this capacity. I've learned a lot, and direct team members are for the most part very helpful and collaborative. It is a lot of work and stress to deal with for so little money, and editors keep dropping like flies for a reason.
Cons
Terrible pay that really never gets better and barely keeps up with inflation. Their idea of "exceeding all expectations" is a 1% raise more than someone who met the basic expectations of the job. Laughable benefits. A murky and mysterious promotion structure that has no transparency, and a ton of favoritism built in to it. Different members of senior management have completely different rules for the people under them, and everyone just brushes it off because those are the only people who've been with the company for decades. Everything hits the Elsevier wall at some point and then it becomes incredibly clear that everything is about money, whereas Cell Press pushes a philosophy of top quality science.
