Abt Associates Reviews

Pros

The work is continuously interesting and challenging. There's an opportunity to learn about all types of policy areas, program evaluation, applied research, and technical assistance. The job is also very flexible as you can flex your time as needed. Colleagues at Abt are highly motivated, accomplished, and passionate about their work. The people are the best part of the job.

Cons

There are a lot of issues, especially for junior staff (which is a blanket term to describe everyone lower than an associate). The pay is low compared to competitors, and there is no transparency about pay equity between staff (I would recommend aggressive negotiating after receiving an offer). Career opportunities are random and dependent on who is assigned your supervisor or the first few people you interact when you arrive. The burden is placed on the employee because there are no managers in the traditional sense. You have to find your own work, manage your work, including negotiating complicated timelines and expectations across non-related projects, and advocate for yourself to get the experience you need to be promoted. It's also worth noting, for someone not coming from a consulting background, that you HAVE to bill 40 hours a week, and you can not charge any breaks over 15 minutes. Time reporting protocols are stringent at Abt, so this requirement is no joke. Turnover for junior staff is significant. Lots of people leave for grad school, but junior faculty are often considered exposable. Often, the hours are very long as you are put in a position where you have to compete with your peers for performance ratings for little pay.