-Turnover rate is extremely high. They will fire an employee during a slow month and the next month will hire somebody to take their place because more work is predicted. This has occurred no less than 10 times during a 4 year period in just one office location.
-I have seen at least 3 occasions where an employee was "promoted" in the sense that they were given the work but the title and raise never accompanied it.
-Winter layoffs are unpredictable and no communication is given until less than a month before.
-If you are one of the lucky ones that doesn't get laid off, expect to be doing monotonous tasks around the lab. How many times can you sweep the floor before the broom fibers wear down to nothing and your brain turns to mush?
-Hours are long and unpredictable. Expect to work 5am-7pm in the summer and also many Saturdays and occasional Sundays. However, this does make up for the looming layoff.