Pros
-Overtime -Stable -6 % 401K match plus an additional 3% contribution regardless of how much you choose to contribute. - If you are willing to work, there is a great deal of money to be made. I was able to pay off my student loans in less than 3 years. I basically lived in the lab though. - Pay with overtime factored in is better than most other employers in the area. As a Scientist, the potential pay makes it difficult to leave for a more traditional 9 to 5 lab job. It is just too much of a pay cut. - You recieve excellent training on state of the art scientific instruments. - In the lab you learn alot about metallurgy and specialty alloys. - Good work experience to have on your resume. - Production runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, there is ALWAYS an opportunity for overtime if you want it.
Cons
- Short sighted upper management - Short term profits take priority over all else -Poor scheduling - Poor work life balance -YOU WILL LIVE HERE. - If you have certain financial goals like paying off loans or saving up for a house, this is the place to work. After you get established though, I would look elsewhere. Its difficult to keep up with the overtime for an extended amount of time. - According to the older guys, the company used to be much more family friendly, they used to buy out Hershey Park for their employees and their families one weekend a year, they had tonnage bonuses, had a pension, quarterly bonuses... ( All of that is no more ) - Upper Management ( former glorified accountants ) who know nothing about running a lab, dictate everything the our lab does, but I suppose that is every company, not just Cartech.