Pros
For the right person, Grist is a fun place to work. The work/life balance is great, and employees are generally friendly, committed, and good for a laugh. The magazine occupies an interesting space in journalism - sort of like the communications arm of a non-profit. It offers an outlet for mission-centric work.
Cons
Grist is kinda the Rachel Dolezal of environmentalism. It aspires to center environmental justice and organizational equity, but these things just aren't in its DNA. I think the toxicity comments in other reviews here are broadly true. During my time at Grist, I watched a lot of strong writers lose confidence in their own writing because of conflicting/shifting editorial standards and warped incentive structures. The organization's mission/vision was reworked so many times it failed to mean anything. Senior management is masterful and generous with the non-apologetic 'we think that's important and it's something we're working on'. When I think about Grist, I feel tired. It was unclear whose words and ideas mattered.