MedImmune Reviews

Pros

Medimmune offered very good financial compensation for its interns. At $33 per hour and opportunities for overtime along with a $1500 per month living stipend. Also, the parties that Medimmune had for Halloween and big launches are second to none. As far as working at Medimmune, work space is plentiful and supplies are always accessible to allow for great science.

Cons

The only downside of Medimmune was having to leave and go back to finish school.

Advice to Senior Management

Keep having the entertaining company meetings. Its excites the company and brews camaraderie.

Pros

Benefits and recognition are slightly above average
Facilities and supplies are above average
Compensation is average for area
On-site gym
On-site cafeteria
Metro shuttle

Cons

Horrible work-life balance
Unfocused direction, constantly changing priorities
Ignores Focus Survey results resulting in high employee turnover
No career path for high performers, promotions based on favoritism
Lack of leadership

Advice to Senior Management

Besides just issuing new work-life policies and initiatives actually require commitment from senior management to allow them to be used by employees. Many executives ignore these initiatives causing high turnover.

Pros

Medimmune is the only big biotech company around this area with good benefit

Cons

If you are good at office politics and weak at scientific excellence. bingo, here will be a wonderful place for you to develop the career. Whole bunch of people have nothing to do and only need to make your boss happy. Management in R&D are totally sick.

Advice to Senior Management

Cut on the rotten management staff and take out unnecessary middle layers.

Pros

competitive benefits
Depending on your department, opportunities for growth
family friendly neighborhood
successful company

Cons

*horrible work life balance (despite great executives/benefits the average worker is always overwhelmed)
*promotions mean nothing in R&D but more work: My promotion was a cut in pay (from working constant overtime to a salaried employee = you're doing a great job and we want to keep you, let's increase you're title, and take away you're overtime)
*always a constant focus on upper management and how important they are. if you're below scientist II you are really just a number to medimmune
* excessive stress and work load in R&D despite the effort to reduce this through better benefits. your workload will never decrease.
*decisions are made on your behalf and your voice means nothing

Advice to Senior Management

Despite the effort to reduce stress,Operations are demoting several of the hardest workers at Medimmune, and the most educated, by forcing them to share already very small cubicle spaces. This is due to poor office space planning on their part. Hmmm, I wonder why HR or even commercial get nice large work spaces with their BA degrees......seems messed up. Meanwhile, R&D are being treated like cattle, while Operations management are able to maintain their large spacious offices. You can use your PhD and post doc experience elsewhere, where you will be respected. Upper management is always praised and promoted though widespread acknowledgements. If you aren't already at this level, you will not attain this through promotion, not will you ever get what you feel you are giving the company.

Pros

Great benefits and good salary. Work atmosphere is generally cordial. Promotion and title depend on the department you are in. Commercial tends to see little upward movement and is very chaotic due to the ongoing integration with AZ. R&D gets a lot of support/resources.

Cons

Promotion in commercial is subject at best--much depends on timing and openings. Many stay in the same position for years due to stagnant growth.

Advice to Senior Management

Constantly in a state of flux with the AZ integration and outward movement of leaders. Being patient is key: usually there is a management re-shuffle every 9 months.

Pros

OK benefits
Annual bonus (based on company performance), and personal performance.
Generally good support for obtaining needed resources
Moderately good compensation (caveat: the DC metro is a very expensive cost-of-living area, so money doesn't go very far). MedImmune have the best employees of the world, at least in the department I work. Employees of MedImmune are professional and very kind.

Cons

Cons
Immature, cruel, and unprofessional managers
You get burned out and they will dump you regardless of your contributions.
Inexperienced people running projects and Overworked
Most of the Ph. D Scientists do not have industry experience, and they are trained by their direct reports. If the project works, these inexperienced scientists get your credits. If the project does not work, you got fired.
Management not held accountable
Really bad management hires
Weak leadership not respected
Ineffective leadership unable to get things done
nothing done about results of annual employee survey
Not a company to stay with for a career
Favoritism rampant
too much to do, not enough time

Advice to Senior Management

Ask for feedback from your employees to address issues before good people leave. Promote a culture of better work life balance. Please take the advice from your employees; otherwise your rate will drop. 2.8 rate out of 5, and MedImmune need a PIP Since you give your employee a PIP even the employee’s rate is above 3. Treat your employees with respect and make them happy since MedImmune have the best employees of the world. Having a PhD does not necessarily mean the individual is a good manager or a good scientist. Look at industry experience, not just academic achievements.

Pros

-access to Washington
-Nice facilities
-work at home opportunities

Cons

-disfunctional medical and clinical department
-Weak leadership not respected
-entry level employees receive little direction
-management not held accountable
-Really bad management hires
-Ineffective leadership unable to get things done
-Overworked and inexperienced people running projects
-Nothing done about results of annual employee survey
-Favoritism rampant

Advice to Senior Management

-Major overhaul
-Listen to employees who have communicated what and who the problems are
-Do not hire people without the qualifications for the job
-Good people have left because of poor managers

Pros

MedImmune has the best employees of the world. They all are nice, professional, and very helpful.
Good compensation
Have money to do research so far.
Lot of lab and other spaces.
Salary and benefit are good.
Location is good too.

Cons

Incapable, abusive, and not professional managers.
Have to do your and your boss’ jobs; have to train your boss who just received his/her Ph.D degrees or finished Post Doc jobs.
Many Scientists do not have industrial experience
Too much to do, do not have much time for life. 10 to 15 hours/day, and plus working on weekend
No matter how much contribution you had made, they will fire if you do not listen to them once, and even if you had family emergency.
Favoritism rampant

Advice to Senior Management

Hire better managers. Give promotion to employees and managers who made contributions.
Care your employees and they are your source of successful.

Pros

Great employees, enormous patience and dedication to helping people, a nice place to live, great schools, access to DC and country
Salary paid reasonably
Benefit is good

Cons

Research management at the Scientist level lacks leadership skills, lack of professional knowledge. If you posses any of the following -obligation, a require for quality, care for people, character... you will be seen as a menace.

Advice to Senior Management

Advice to Senior Management
Hire better Scientists and directors.
You know the problem, then why do not you resolve them.

Pros

might be the only biotech at Greater DC area still massively hiring people

Cons

turn over rate is so high. employee leaves after 2-3 years of service. no teamwork spirit.

Advice to Senior Management

are they going to listen at all?