Pros
The Lab is situated in a very beautiful remote rural area with a combination of mountain and seashore attractions and the proximity of the Acadia National Park, and is a dream for an outdoor enthusiast (although this can be a serious “con” for those who have no such inclinations and prefer an urban or suburban lifestyle). Working to support the mission of the lab in conducting and promoting research into causes and potential cures for human disease is very gratifying, and was my primary motivation for seeking a position with the Lab. It has great healthcare coverage. Most of the people at all levels of the organization who work there are extremely conscientious, dedicated and diligent individuals with whom I enjoyed collaborating during my time there.
Cons
A caveat - I worked in the area responsible for inventory management, marketing and sales, so my comments don’t necessarily generalize into the science and educational areas. I understood I was being hired to help introduce new approaches to managing operations and related quality assurance issues but I found the senior management, as much as they paid lip service to “developing a quality culture”, reluctant to engage in any serious assessment of how they do business or set any meaningful strategic direction for making operational improvements. Ideas which didn’t align with current practices were typically poorly received, and persistence in promoting such ideas precipitated challenges to personal competency and motivation. Several senior managers were heavy-handed in treatment of subordinates, and expected similar treatment to be shown down the line – resistance elicited the same sort of non-professional criticism. Initially, I questioned myself, but found several other people over time with similarities in professional background and aspirations whose experiences echoed my own. Another obstacle to succeeding in an operations-based role is the dependence on IT, and that group, which apparently suffered challenges for years, continued to address issues with its own operations and turnover while I was there and shortly after I left. After a year, the dissonance was greater than I would tolerate, so I resigned my position. Alternatives for professional work in the area are very limited, including at the Lab. I applied for two other positions in other areas in the Lab (one before, and the other after I resigned), but in both cases the original job postings were pulled, and job descriptions re-written and then re-posted after I initially applied.
