Pros
The company is pretty fantastic. Ginkgo challenges its employees to be bold and control their own destiny. There is a plethora of opportunities to get involved in and take the lead on. New ideas are fostered and management helps them grow. The projects are all unique with their own challenges leading to some very innovative solutions. The science alone is worth trying to get your foot through the door. The established culture is great and growing with each month. The employees are dedicated to the scientific craft and don't look at the company as just a job but an experience. I wish I had something similar to the padawan system when I was fresh out of school.
Cons
Ginkgo has probably one of the steepest learning curves out of anywhere I have had the pleasure of working. There is no obvious hand holding, and asking for help, especially early on is expected. The heavy focus on software can be daunting. Work life balance can be a challenge as there is just so much to do, but once again every employee needs to know their own limits. I would say it takes longer than an average company to really breakthrough and feel comfortable, but when it happens its very rewarding.