Here are Glassdoor.com comments from one employee who left very unhappy. But his or her complaints could provide management with several ideas for improving the work environment at Sandia.
Pros
I can’t think of a single thing. I am quitting soon and going back to academia.
Cons
- There is no money for R & D
- If you have a PhD you will be treated without the respect earned by your degree
- There are “technical staff” who couldn’t balance an equation if their life depended on it
- The lab is full of lazy staff members
- FFRDCs are losing funding and as a Sandian you cannot compete for money which is handed out to universities
- if you are a PI, then some idiot manager will be placed in charge of your budget and will spend all the money on the “deadweight”
- There is no focus on sound scientific research and development
- Focus is on nuclear weapons and nothing else matters
- No latitude for creativity
- 90% of the technical staff is over the age of 50
- Employees will tell government agencies anything they want to hear
- Many people here do not understand the scientific method (engineer culture) or the value of hypothesis testing
- Poor culture towards women, minorities, and LGBT (I am a white male)
- Avid climate change deniers in Senior Management
- A tattle culture
Advice to Management
Scuttle the ship?