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Caltech (California)

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Employee vs. Academic - Anonymous employee Caltech (California) Employee Review

3.0
Jun 7, 2013
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Caltech has great benefits, start off vacation was higher than most places. The location is lovely. There was a good sense of comradery among the researchers in my lab. Not to mention you are working at one of the world's leading academic research institutes. It is not uncommon to hear that people of interest are moving around campus, giving talks. Everyone from Stephen Hawking to Bill Nye.

Cons

The expectations of employees in research positions could be closer to that of grad students or post docs depending on the lab. Playing the game according to HR's rules is very different from playing the game using your immediate boss' rules. I have heard, though indirectly, that HR/higher-ups would rather let you go than discipline a professor. However this may be a problem in all of academia.

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5.0
Jul 3, 2026
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Pros

You get to interact with many smart people

Cons

Dining halls should be better

5.0
Jun 30, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

I really like the people I work with. Managers promote psychological safety and follow through with their commitments . My direct managers are interested in my growth and professional development. There are a lot of affinity groups to connect with. Overall a great community to be a part of. Caltech has good benefits and even mental health counseling available for staff.

Cons

Because the campus is lightly administered/decentralized, policies can vary a lot by department, which can make things really confusing for the initial period. However, if you’re open to talking to others and making connections, it can go a long way in helping you figure out how things work on campus. Another negative is that departmental culture can vary. Working as an admin in one department may be much more difficult than in another department.

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