Pros
Every day is a chance to work on projects that genuinely push the boundaries of what scientists automate, and how many automate for the first time. We all share a sense of purpose in this regard, which helps with focus and motivation.
There's a culture of recognition regardless of the role you're playing at Opentrons. Everyone is valued for doing their part.
The CEO, GM and founder are very savvy in their own way and genuinely good people. This has trickled down throughout all the teams over the years. Same goes for our most active investors.
The product lines (AI, Synbio, Robotics) are outpacing most other sectors. The future should be bright for Opentrons!
More than anywhere I've worked, the leadership encourages employees to take initiative and own their projects. They're also not reckless with resources, but make them available if you present a thorough business case.
Cons
In some ways the culture of transparency has dissipated over the years (e.g. hidden calendars, HR making decisions on behalf of other teams without consulting them) but on the other hand there's a lot of open sharing of future plans and financial health by the CEO/GM. There are also strong channels of open communication around all hands and similar meetings.
Bandwidth constraints and burnout aren't uncommon and can lead to poor performance and unhealthy stress.
