Pros
Battelle is an awsome place to work. Competitive salaries and benefits (they have a PENSION in addition to 401K that they match up to 4%). While they do not pay as much as some contractors, they retain you if your contract goes away and find you somewhere else to work. Which for those of us in government contracting, is a breath of fresh air. There is a tremendous opportunity for professional development. In my first year alone, they dropped thousands of dollars in professional training. As tuition reimbursement maxes out at $8700, they paid for nearly 90 percent of my graduate degree, then promoted me when I completed the degree. Overall, a fantastic place to work.
Cons
While I admit I drink the Battelle Cool-Aide, there is certainly room for improvement. Mostly management and the bueracracy of a 17,000 strong work-force. There is a LOT of support people on overhead that don't do anything but make the folks who work on contracts much more expensive.