Very Bureaucratic and Siloed Organization - Anonymous employee RTI International Employee Review

2.0
Sep 3, 2015
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good production support (graphic artists, admin assistants) allows researchers to spend more time focusing on research rather than time-consuming administrative tasks. Good place to find your research niche since you are exposed to many different research topics and clients and work on multiple projects simultaneously.

Cons

Poor management -- being intelligent does not equate to being a good manager. A lot of pressure for mid- and upper-level staff to write proposals, win work, and minimize their time spent on overhead. However, who gets to work on which proposals is a very political process. Ineffective leaders are not removed. Employees who commit research fraud or who are verbally abusive to more junior staff are not penalized. Catty burnout environment, CEO seems like a dud -- not sure he has any real substantive qualifications to effectively lead a research organization -- doesn't seem like a good fit. There is no real corporate culture because some departments are very stringent about clocking in and out, whereas others allow you to work from home. As a result, morale is very low in many areas of the company.

Explore other reviews about RTI International

5.0
Jun 8, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

RTI has a good mission

Cons

Adaptation to sudden federal funding loss.

3.0
Jul 10, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Colleagues were usually respectful, hardworking, and competent. Pre-Covid, the RTP campus was a vibrant and collaborative working environment. Some of the (mostly Federal) contracts provided for interesting research and work.

Cons

Perhaps put too many eggs in USAID contract and Federal social sciences baskets. Org's strength used to be hard sciences. RTI's strength was its organizational culture which was severely undermined by the decision to allow almost anyone to work remotely Upper management bends too much to a vocal and political few, helping to sour an excellent working environment. Many faithful and valuable employees now distrust senior management.

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