Pros
Association with the university is a definite plus. Long term employees are still invested and believe in the scientific mission - in spite of constant lay offs and sketchy funding numbers. Benefits - especially health care - are still really good. Retirement is pretty OK.
Cons
Archaic HR department personnel are abysmally unsuited for a cutting edge scientific facility. Upper level Good Old Boy network is entrenched and will very difficult to weed out unless reviewed and acknowledged by an outside auditing agency. DOE management are arrogant, condescending bubbas with a general contempt towards the scientific staff. Attempts to integrate a failed, non-workable business model has sent moral into a tail spin with little or no accountability by those who blindly implemented it. Waste is rife with little to no question regarding expenditures such as an electrical vehicle fleet that insures vehicles are in the shop for repairs more often than functioning as a GSA motor pool.