Pros
Healthcare benefits are adequate, but not terrific. At West Lafayette, there are a few free breakfasts for monthly site meetings, an annual Christmas party and an activity committee, which tries to get employees to become involved in activities outside of work.
Cons
If great leadership begins at the top, then this company is the antithesis. During company-wide town hall meetings, the CEO was unable to answer even the most basic questions from low level employees, repeatedly deferring the questions to the CFO to answer. There is a large disconnect between upper management, and the individual sites. Simply proclaiming "One AMRI" for a large conglomerate spanning multiple continents is not enough to will it into being. Individual sites are highly siloed. At the West Lafayette site, nepotism runs rampant. Those who curry favor remain in favor, even though their day to day performance may not warrant it, and promotions are often not justified based on performance metrics. The site runs on a patchwork legacy LIMS system dating from the late 1980's to early 1990's, and site leadership refuses to modernize the facility's software, which is typical of CRO's in general. Compliance is king, even when compliance may not make sense, or stands in the way of legitimate scientific advancement. Research and Development does not exist, which is also typical of CRO's. The QA department is thorough, but very slow processing reports, which is commendable, since they take the time to really scrutinize the data and writing. Computer systems validations take an eternity, but are all funneled through one individual, who is essentially an ad hoc QA member. Like most CRO's, if you are a new graduate, particularly a Ph.D., this is a place where you can learn and grow. Professionals with only a Bachelor's degree will likely never advance out of the lab. Local management varies from the never-present to the micromanagers, but information is usually a scarce commodity, often withheld from lower-tier employees, as upper management is afraid to relinquish full control over individual projects. Consider very carefully before you work at AMRI. If you can live with the above conditions, then you may be well suited for this company. Otherwise, it would be best to avoid working here, as you may be a mismatch for the company's culture.
