I hope, this list doesn't get too long:
1) Very poor compensation compared to the other industries. I worked as a R&D engineer at Dreamworks and now work as a Software engineer in one of the big companies like Apple or Google. In 3+ years from the time I left Dreamworks, my overall compensation package (salary + yearly bonus + yearly RSU + 401K match) has nearly doubled (my current compensation package is ~1.8X times my last pay package at Dreamworks).
2) Minimal stock benefits: no yearly RSU's or any RSU at the time of joining; no ESPP or any other stock benefits
3) Minimal 401K match
4) Stagnant manangement consisting of people who have been around for 10+ years
5) Using computation and software tools from the previous millennium for development work
6) Stale maintenance work as a R&D engineer; no scope of being at the forefront of technology.
7) Some of the older colleagues (who have been at Dreamworks) for 10+ years are terrible to work with. I have checked with quite a few newer colleagues who have left Dreamworks around ~2 years and all of them have simile experience.
8) Of late, no job stability; regular layoffs as Dreamworks itself is in bad shape.
To sum up, never work here as a R&D engineer; its enough to ruin one's career!
