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Charles River Laboratories

Engaged Employer

Charles River Laboratories reviews

3.1

49% would recommend to a friend

(2,372 total reviews)
avatar

Birgit Girshick

66% approve of CEO

33% positive business outlook

Charles River Laboratories has an employee rating of 3.1 out of 5 stars, based on 2,372 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Charles River Laboratories employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology industry (3.5 stars).

Reviews by job title

2K reviews
1.0
Nov 15, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The biggest highlight is getting to interact with the primates every day. Providing enrichment, watching their personalities come out, and forming real bonds with them was incredibly rewarding. The PTO benefits were not bad.

Cons

Working at Charles River was an overwhelmingly negative experience. Management was consistently very bad - unprofessional, disorganized, and openly dismissive of employee concerns. There was a clear lack of care and respect toward staff, and speaking up about workplace harassment or discrimination never felt safe or welcome; concerns were brushed off in order to defend the company. Employees were routinely overworked, expected to take on intense physical labor with little support, and treated as if their well-being didn’t matter. Overall, the work environment was toxic, unsupportive, and deeply exhausting, and I would not recommend it to anyone looking for a healthy, respectful, or inclusive workplace.

2.0
Nov 12, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good environment to start as a fresher

Cons

Worst Management in BioScience Dept. Dirty politics

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Charles River Laboratories Response
7mo
We appreciate feedback about leadership, as it plays an important role in how we continue to grow and improve. At Charles River, many of our people leaders balance individual responsibilities with the demands of supporting their teams. We’re committed to helping them succeed in both areas. That’s why we’re focused on selecting leaders who demonstrate our CRL DNA behaviors and investing in their ongoing development at every level of their journey.
2.0
Nov 11, 2025

Ok

Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Nice people to work with

Cons

The pay in this industry is generally poor

avatar
Charles River Laboratories Response
7mo
We regularly review our compensation and benefits to ensure that we continue to provide total rewards that are market competitive, equitable, and aligned with industry standards. We appreciate feedback in this area and use it to help inform adjustments and planning.
Viewing 70 - 72 of 2,372 Reviews

Glassdoor has 2,663 Charles River Laboratories reviews submitted anonymously by Charles River Laboratories employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Charles River Laboratories is right for you.