Pros
Leaving at the end of the day
Cons
Where can I possibly begin.... Clock in and out system is akin to a prison. Right away it tells you that you're not trusted as an adult. Managers will act like prison wardens around this, and if you are one minute late, then prepare to be "dealt with", no matter how much overtime you have worked, it could be days and they still won't care. Any overtime you have worked up must be taken within the week as well as it is not accumulative. You are also paid the standard rate for overtime at weekends (no time and a half or double time here, they're that greedy). Anything you do extra will never be enough.. there's no give and take as you would expect from normal management. Nepotism and sectarianism are rife within the place. Only certain individuals from the right backgrounds are promoted. Decent scientists fall by the wayside while "yes men" are the ones that scale up the ranks. You may be penalised for not having certain qualifications, i.e. PhD as it may not meet their expectations of what they call "job specific knowledge". This is completely contradictory, ridiculous and downright insulting given the fact they advertise for bachelor's/MSc university graduates. Managers will use underhanded practices to suit their agendas and call it "protecting the company". You will be judged from the moment you walk through the door. If you do not walk and talk a certain way and say yes to every little thing then your cards will be marked and this will be brought up when your appraisal rolls around. It is completely irrelevant to the work that you do, no matter how hard you work and how many results you pump out, you will be pegged based on what they think of you. You're also expected to complete "high level chemistry in their state of the art facilities" with an LCMS that is over 30 years old and never works, and broken and outdated pieces of equipment. Managers want to keep their overheads down so that they look good to their bosses no matter how much their staff are struggling. The most toxic work environment I have ever had the displeasure of working in. I urge any aspiring scientists to stay well clear.