Great place to learn the science of industrial synthetic biology - Anonymous employee Amyris Employee Review

3.0
Jul 15, 2018
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The company has some of the very best technical minds in industrial synthetic biology. From the science side, it is a fantastic place (5 stars). The outside perspective that Amyris' scientific talent has been decimated by key people leaving for the likes of Zymergen and Ginkgo is way off base. Yes people have left, but the scientific bench is incredibly deep and they continue to recruit some of the very best to fill gaps. One of the most important things I can say about Amyris is that they are one of the few synthetic biology companies that has taken multiple products from the lab into manufacturing and then sold them to customers. If you want to learn the science and skills necessary to do this, it's the very best place in the world. A lot of the science done at places like Ginkgo is fun and interesting, but not particularly relevant to pushing products from the lab to manufacturing and the market. As many others have said, the benefits and culture are good. The people are warm, welcoming and helpful.

Cons

The CEO continually overpromises and sets the company up to underdeliver. He is exceptionally good at raising money and that's probably the only reason the Board of Directors hasn't removed him. Hopefully, some of the new additions to the executive team and the Board of Directors can restrain the CEO's natural tendencies or make the tough choice to replace him. The work-life balance is off more than it should be. The further you are from the science side of the company, the less fun it is.

Explore other reviews about Amyris

5.0
Sep 25, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

- work/life balance - ability to grow in multiple directions - prioritization of safety culture

Cons

- higher level management structure can be confusing or seem disorganized at times

4.0
Jul 8, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Culture (before bankruptcy), Free Lunch (when it was there)

Cons

Bankruptcy, reorganization, and reduction in workforce

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