Pros
Some smart people. Some great colleagues. Benefits.
Cons
Very poor and un self-aware senior management. Little to no effectively communicated strategic vision for the organization as a whole—too many disparate parts (FFRDC, graduate school, social and economic policy divisions) shoehorned under a single organizational umbrella leads to muddled communication , toxic silo-ing, and conflicting incentives. Little to no diversity among top management and little demonstrated commitment to change that other than platitudes and lip service. Emphasis on ‘collegiality’ rather than—constructive, mediated—confrontation. Rather than constructively, proactively address conflicts, HR stalls, denies, or shuffles people. Despite similar feedback from multiple consultants management continues to effectively do nothing to address sources of interpersonal/interdepartmental tension, lack of equity/opportunity, or effective support for either research or administrative staff. God help new hires in 2021 regardless of what side of the house they’re trying to work for.