Excellent research staff, abysmal management. - Research Scientist Battelle Employee Review

3.0
Nov 7, 2008
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Outstanding benefits (for now), unbelievably talented and intelligent co-workers, great potential to do good things, definitely opportunity to work on all kinds of different projects. Fairly good job security when compared to other places (exception currently is NSGB/NSD market sector). Defined by a co-worker as "The best place to do post-graduate work in Chemical Engineering." This place has a lot of potential... But...

Cons

Extremely "top-heavy" management. Military management style (hierarchy, authoritarianism) was prevalent in the section I was in. Needs to do a better job of finding and retaining good younger staff. A lot of the time, opportunity to advance was defined as waiting for someone else to leave. I had no fewer than 8 managers between myself and the CEO. The business development staff (i.e. Relationship Managers) did not seem to be held to any kind of real sales goals, while even younger research staff at times were... Constantly changing expectations, excelling on the job was a moving target. Lots of required administrative overhead activities with the impression that the results of those exercises (e.g. defining goals) were not for the development of the individual, and probably would never be looked at by anybody with any real seriousness.

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5.0
May 13, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
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Pros

It was a decent job for the time

Cons

Schedule was tough but fine

1.0
Jun 4, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

They pay my salary on time.

Cons

-They are run like grad school. They have you compete against your co-workers for funding, they consider rules and laws as simple impediments to be overcome by capricious edicts, they will treat you like a rented mule if you let them. I have come to the conclusion that senior management cares very little about work conditions or employees, only about the bottom line. This experience has significantly changed my opinion of not-for-profit companies. If you are a researcher looking for an open and collaborative environment with shared goals, I suggest you look elsewhere.

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