What is paid time off like at RTI International?

Mission-driven, non-profit, research institute that values rigorous, objective and high quality work; caring/supportive colleagues; flexible work environment; ability to choose the type of research you do/build; very competitive pay, good benefits, including generous amount of paid time off and professional development opportunities

Becoming more “corporate” with many more managers/layers and an increased focus on financial targets—threatens the strong culture of RTI and what attracts researchers to the institute and keeps them here

Competitive salary, 4 weeks of PTO, 10 paid holidays, decent management, flexible work arrangement, consistent communication

No sick time off, because the federal government is our main client, we end up having stop work orders, lay offs, and inconsistent work, lots of stress, not a lot of creative work, mostly just brochures and layouts

Competitive salary, 4 weeks of PTO, 10 paid holidays, decent management, flexible work arrangement, consistent communication

No sick time off, because the federal government is our main client, we end up having stop work orders, lay offs, and inconsistent work, lots of stress, not a lot of creative work, mostly just brochures and layouts

WFH, the wider impact of the organization research for communities.

The project team I worked on was completely dysfunctional. In 2 years with the team there were 8 staff changes for a team of 7. The current managers talk about DEI and belonging but play favorites and contribute to misrepresenting the staff members they don't like in ways the emulate high school cliques. I heard countless staff with disabilities referred to as the r-slur, saw LGBTQIA+ staff silenced and fired and yet no communication was given. Huge leadership changes from the VP level to managers was a constant. Backpedaling and uncertainity in the work and needs. Lack of workplace integrity promising folks full time roles, while not giving them benefits and PTO to only dismiss them later.

Flexible schedule, generous PTO, decent benefits

Only worthwhile if you have supportive, available management

The people at RTI are incredibly kind, mission-driven, and well-rounded. Staff will go above and beyond to support one another, including in their professional development and growth. Although the salary is quite low for the DC area, the benefits, including PTO, are very generous.

In my experience, I was not trained until 3 months into the job. So my first 3 months were being "thrown into the fire" as I was told. The majority of stress I had in the initial weeks of the job could have easily been alleviated with proper training and guidance earlier on. Additionally, I started my job remotely, but was later informed I would be expected to move to the DC office. Given the low salary for cost of living in DC, alongside the fact the majority of my position did not require in-person interactions, I did not feel this policy made sense.

Smart and kind colleagues. Remote work option. Flexibility in work hours (until April).

Lack of support for career development and paths to promotion. Lack of quality in research design and output. Lack of good computers for remote staff. Lack of library resources. Lack of qualified managers in some groups. No bottom-up reviews of managers and complaints about managers are not dealt with. Many benefits reward tenure, putting more recent hires behind on retirement contributions and PTO. Decreasing flexibility in work hours. Upper management seems slow to respond to major changes in the environment, is not immediately transparent about response plans, and provides inadequate responses to broad complaints (such as about benefits).

Advancement opportunities, range of project work, nice offices. Good EAPs and communities to join.

PTO is not competitive with other companies. Job satisfaction is directly related to the project's management and some of them are very mismanaged.

The staff are phenomenal. Good, hard working, bright, and kind folks who are passionate about the work they do. PTO, 401(k), and other benefits are stellar. Work/life balance is phenomenal.

An over reliance on federal funding and an assumption about who would win the presidential election has put them in a bad spot. Laying off more than 40% of your workforce in less than 3 months should send alarm bells RINGING to any potential new hires. The fact that they’re hiring at all is truly astounding. Why get rid of long-term strong performers with strong institutional knowledge to hire new people who don’t know the business? RTI is in trouble. If you’re still here, start looking. If you aren’t there yet, RUN.

✅ Meaningful work that contributes to social development and research-based solutions. ✅ Collaborative and inclusive work environment. ✅ Opportunities for professional growth and career advancement. ✅ Competitive salary and benefits package. ✅ Strong organizational structure with clear policies.

🔹 Currently, all Paid Time Off (PTO) does not carry forward to the next year. It would be beneficial if employees could either carry forward unused PTO or receive leave encashment. 🔹 Gratuity should be provided to ensure long-term financial security for employees.