High ideals with poor execution - Anonymous employee Mathematica Employee Review

2.0
Dec 15, 2017
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Intelligent people; important and interesting work; articulation of company mission and values. A fantastic learning experience, albeit sometimes as trial by fire.

Cons

Company values never seemed to materialize in day to day activities. MPR believes they are an employee driven company, that the work they bid on is work that employees want to be involved in. This seemed true if you had an established niche or network of coworkers with whom you have rapport with. The hierarchical structure of the organization, and the way it was daily palpable, ensured a sense of some being "more equal then others." As the company grew, it felt more isolated, alienating, and competitive rather than warm, familiar and collegial.

Explore other reviews about Mathematica

5.0
Apr 11, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great colleagues, 401k match, and interesting work

Cons

Work life balance could be improved and more ability to move between departments

3.0
Jun 29, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Smart people, impactful work. A real community.

Cons

Poor strategic planning. Rather than performing real analysis and proactive thinking, leadership reacts to the environment. Strategy development and implementation at Mathematica seems like leadership throws wet spaghetti against the wall to see what sticks. In the 2010s, it was predictive modeling. Rather than proactively using predictive modeling to support their client's goals and the organization's mission, they created a data analytics division, hired smart people, and provided no guidance to support the division. Today, AI has replaced predictive modeling. These examples provide two instances of failures of corporate leadership; many more exist. Unfortunately, the company suffers from short-term incentives and an aversion to long-term investments. As an employee-owned company, you would think that the board and leadership would be more responsive to the employees. No! Over time, they have removed employees' voices from decision-making and focused on increasing their own power and independence.

7
See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All