Pros
Excellent salary
Very nice gym
Nice buildings, grounds and facilities
I don't know what life is like in other departments and I understand that lower level Scientist jobs can be frustrating and mundane, but I really don't understand some of the reviews I read for this company and I don't know what the folks complaining actually want. Coming from academia, I know what no work-life balance is, and Medimmune is luxurious. I never see anyone here after 6 (other than other research junkies) and on weekends you could set off a fire alarm and I think 5 people would appear. Management encourages work-life balance and we get bombarded with emails about how to take care of ourselves. They regularly do surveys on what we want to improve things, and act on it if possible (like dry cleaning, the fitness center, an ATM with no fees, in chair massage services, a medical clinic, a metro shuttle service). Then half the time, nobody ever uses them (though they complain if its taken away of course). The metro shuttle service was fantastic but we lost it because hardly anyone used it and it turned out it would cost the company less to bring us here in cabs every day. To their credit though, they really did give the service every chance and in the end arranged a compromise that, while not as good, is better than nothing.
I realise a lot of the really dissatisfied reviews comes from Associates scientists who want to advance, but I have limited sympathy after years of hard work and low wages completing a PhD and post-doctoral training. There are plenty of very capable nurses who could easily do the job of a physician, but life doesn't work like that. If you want that job, go off and get the qualification like we did. Yes, there are senior folks in research (exceptionally good ones) that did not get PhDs, but those days are over.
Like all of Pharma, Medi is struggling with finances but they are doing their best to keep the sacrifice sensible and equitable. There was a huge amount of fat here that was ready to be trimmed from what I could see and we are now getting things done far more efficiently than even 6 months ago. I really think a lot of people who have worked in industry a long time are spoiled from some good years and don't know how hard life is in the rest of the world of science.
Though it's fair to say the quality of life here is very manager-dependent. If you report to someone good, your life is a dream, if not you're screwed. There's not much back up or escape in this regard, but it's a big enough company that you can move internally, and folks who aren't happy should do that as the manager gets flagged if too many people leave their group.
I enjoy working here so much I try not to tell the ones I had to leave behind because it seems kind of cruel. Any R&D scientist who wants to work in industry would be very very happy here. ...
Cons
Some spoiled employees who don't know a good thing when they have it
Promotions are difficult. Aim for the highest appointment possible on entry and shouldn't expect promotion within 4-5 years of joining the company.
They treat contractors horribly
The IT support is WOEFUL!!!
