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Dimensional Fund Advisors

Engaged Employer

Former employee - Anonymous employee Dimensional Fund Advisors Employee Review

1.0
Jul 3, 2015
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great investment philosophy but people here believe in it like its a religion. Food in the building is good, benefits are okay as well.

Cons

-Management is terrible, very political and play favorites. They will be passive aggressive, slowly isolate you if they don't think youre toeing the line, dont value employee development much. -The pay here used to be good, now it sucks. Associates/Analysts get paid poorly, as does anyone promoted within. Only way to get paid well here is to come in as RD or PM from elsewhere.If they can take advantage of you somewhere they will. Oh and Austin isn't that cheap, if you don't believe me check housing prices. Pay increases in record years were nonexistent, bonuses are shrinking and they will probably eliminate one of the twice-yearly bonuses soon. -Hours are terrible in PM, IAD but good in FAS. You dont learn much anywhere after the first couple months, everything is task oriented because they want you to be as replaceable as possible. Development is not a priority here. -Austin is a tiny city. Thats how they lock in a lot of people, by moving them to a city where they dont rub elbows with any finance people. If you dont get promoted or get a pay bump, you cant walk down the street to a different firm like in a real city. -David Booth and Eduardo Repetto. Booth has done a brilliant job of taking research and making himself money off of it, then touting some higher purpose. Higher purpose isnt making hundreds of millions of dollars a year in dividends while nickel and diming employees. Eduardo is alright but is really abrasive, he doesn't inspire confidence and regularly yells at employees in public. -Everyone who hasn't been here for a long time wants to leave or will leave if they ever got decent offers. -If you dont believe in the investment philosophy completely, which is ludicrous since finance is not physics and thus has no absolutes, you wont fit in with the cult. -Oversraffed and underpaid sums up a lot of this. Want money? Go elsewhere. Want career opportunities? Go elsewhere. Want to develop a good foundation for future opportunity? Go elsewhere. Want to get paid ok money and have good time to spend outside of work in some departments in a small city? Come here

Explore other reviews about Dimensional Fund Advisors

5.0
Jun 29, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Excellent place to work. Many employees have been here several years. Team strategy aligns well with company goals. Technology teams are constantly reviewing better ways to use technology and provide learning opportunities for new skills, frameworks, and languages.

Cons

Not much to say here.

5.0
May 18, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Co-CEO Gerard O’Reilly always says, “Do the right thing, the right way, right away.” This is more than a mantra at DFA. These are good people, some of the smartest in the industry, and their bar is excellence. People sometimes joke about “drinking the DFA koolaid”. Here’s the koolaid: DFA doesn’t slap lipstick on a pig just to push product. DFA actually believes (and has been around long enough to prove) that you can lead with education, and IF your investment offering is genuinely good, the assets will naturally follow. Theirs is. What ex employee critics have said: “DFA moves too slow.” Fails to mention the likes of how DFA just led the industry with an absolute machete hacking thru the regulatory and operational jungle to pave a path for active share class for the good of investors. First filing? DFA. First to launch? DFA. Fast where it counts. “DFA doesn’t fund platforms for sales!” Indeed, would make life easier in some Sales channels, but would also impose more cost burden on end investors, so... The reality: Those who dance are considered insane by those who hear not the music. The firm, the philosophy, the people- all impressive. It has been one of the privileges of my career to work at Dimensional.

Cons

Hmm well the main grievance amongst the employee office committee was the insufficiency of the breakroom selection comprised of only of creamer, whole milk, 2%, and almond milk. I only hope the egregious omission has been remedied in the months since my departure and coconut milk added to said selection.

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