Pros
I enjoy working at Charles River Analytics because I make a real impact by doing work that I enjoy, I work on cutting-edge ideas and technologies, I have skilled and pleasant colleagues, and I am in control of my success and happiness. Working for a successful and growing company is rewarding on many levels. If you are thinking about working here, know that your input will make a difference. Even if you are at the beginning of your career, your ideas matter and will be listened to. Opportunities abound. Charles River Analytics is a growing company and is eager for people who can develop new business, advance technical offerings, and engage with customers. Entrepreneurial spirits thrive here, and innovative ideas flow freely. Much of what the company does is novel and pioneering. Employees are smart and proactive, and the company is good to its employees with excellent benefits and office life. Most teams are small, and there are many different projects with different customers happening concurrently. Employees are generally free to expand their horizons. Are you an engineer who wants to contribute to a research paper? Great! Have an idea to improve the work experience or enhance team collaboration? Do it! Your success is a function of what you put into your work and the value you create (this has always been true, but is even more true now that the company is employee-owned). If you find this empowering, you'll do well here.
Cons
Some of the “pros” could be "cons” to different people. Pro: You will define your own success here. Con: You will not be happy if you expect everything to be perfectly defined or provided to you. Pro: Engineers and scientists run the company, which is awesome in many ways. Con: Demands patience and recognition that effective leadership and project management skills may need to be learned and practiced on the job. Pro: We do a lot of different work. Con: We don’t have a single product like other companies this size, so we’re not all one big team focused on a single goal. Pro: We’re on the leading edge of prototyping innovative ideas. Con: Not all of these prototypes go past the prototype stage (although we’re good about code re-use), and if you happen to get a string of prototypes that don't move forward, it might feel demoralizing. Pro: Fast-growing company doing a lot of exciting work. Con: Some people can have too many irons in the fire, and if this isn't properly managed it can lead to team stress and heroic last-minute efforts. Bright side of the cons: People here are genuinely interested in growing and learning, and are generally open to feedback on ways to improve themselves and their work.