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    BioMarin Pharmaceutical Reviews

    Updated March 13, 2019
    226 reviews

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    3.5
    StarStarStarStarStar
    Rating TrendsRating Trends
    Recommend to a friend
    Approve of CEO
    BioMarin Pharmaceutical Chief Executive Officer Jean-Jacques Bienaimé
    Jean-Jacques Bienaimé
    128 Ratings

    Employee Reviews

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    Pros
    Cons

    • "Work life balance for non shift workers is not good" (in 21 reviews)

    • "Large company feel with multiple levels for lower to senior management" (in 11 reviews)

    More Pros and Cons
    1. Featured Review

      Helpful (4)

      "Best Kept Secret in Biotech"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee in San Rafael, CA
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee in San Rafael, CA
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook
      Approves of CEO

      I have been working at BioMarin Pharmaceutical full-time (More than 5 years)

      Pros

      I've been here for more than five years, and I love Mondays! I still pinch myself because I get to work in such a positive work environment. I have so much respect for the people here, who are brilliant and humble--a rare combination of traits. It is highly motivating to work for a company that has a clear purpose focused on helping people with rare genetic diseases. It is an exciting time to be at BioMarin while it is growing rapidly and to be a part of cutting edge science.

      Cons

      Fast growth in the company means that sometimes you have to be okay with ambiguity.

      Advice to Management

      Tell me more about what you're thinking.

    2. "Great place"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Research Assistant in Novato, CA
      Current Employee - Research Assistant in Novato, CA
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook
      Approves of CEO

      I have been working at BioMarin Pharmaceutical full-time (Less than a year)

      Pros

      Great team of people supporting your development as a research profession in the biotech industry.

      Cons

      Not a real downside but must be willing to work hard and adapt quickly.

      3. Join the BioMarin Pharmaceutical team
      See Our Latest Jobs

    3. Helpful (1)

      "Good compensation, little room for advancement"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Recommends
      Neutral Outlook
      No opinion of CEO

      I have been working at BioMarin Pharmaceutical full-time

      Pros

      Good compensation, teams work well together, interesting science and opportunities for learning, some flexibility with regard to remote working

      Cons

      Little room for advancement, professional development must be sought out by the individual, very top-heavy and flat organizational structure. Also, no fault to the company, San Francisco is very expensive.

    4. "Saving the world shouldn’t come at sacrificing your own WLB"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Anonymous Employee in Novato, CA
      Former Employee - Anonymous Employee in Novato, CA
      Doesn't Recommend
      Neutral Outlook
      No opinion of CEO

      I worked at BioMarin Pharmaceutical full-time (More than 5 years)

      Pros

      Some great people, somewhat noble mission, overall not a terrible company. They try to do what’s right even if they don’t really follow through

      Cons

      Your experience will depend on your manager/project/group. Some managers are really great. Others are beyond horrible. Expectations that everyone should be passionate about their job means you’re willing to work long hours and do it with a smile, without anything in return. No one dares to say something negative about the company, because, why would you be unhappy when your company is working on the coolest, cutting edge medicine saving little kids? The biotech world is small, bio/chem grads are dime a dozen, there are always people willing to work hard for low pay. This is why people put up with a lot of crap and stay at the same company for 10+ years. Because, if you had other options, why would you put up with it?

      Advice to Management

      Instead of having useless perks like yoga/custom candy etc., how about cash or stock bonus? There are many low level workers who are struggling and would really benefit from having a little more cash in their pockets. All the riches seem to go to the top and not much trickles to the bottom.

    5. "Great company"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook
      Approves of CEO

      I have been working at BioMarin Pharmaceutical full-time (More than 3 years)

      Pros

      good benefit. 6% 401k and various free insurance.

      Cons

      nothing so far. sometimes the title is not fair.

    6. "Great place to work."

      StarStarStarStarStar
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee

      Pros

      Great place to work. People are friendly.

      Cons

      Company extends your contract and won't hire you full time.

    7. Helpful (2)

      "Decent company"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      Current Employee - Associate Director in San Rafael, CA
      Current Employee - Associate Director in San Rafael, CA

      I have been working at BioMarin Pharmaceutical (More than 5 years)

      Pros

      Generous salary and willing to change

      Cons

      Genetech execs are arrogant and too full of themselves

    8. "unknown"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook
      Approves of CEO

      I have been working at BioMarin Pharmaceutical full-time (More than 10 years)

      Pros

      The people and the fact we are here to benefit many people with health problems

      Cons

      no formal structure to advance. good old boy club
      Too many different software to learn in every department that don't talk to each other. Waste of time.

      Advice to Management

      don't advance clinker people that are full of hot air and no intellect.

    9. Helpful (3)

      "Good company --- poor leadership killing shareholder value"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Senior Director
      Current Employee - Senior Director
      Recommends
      Neutral Outlook
      Disapproves of CEO

      I have been working at BioMarin Pharmaceutical full-time (More than a year)

      Pros

      Good benefits
      Driven people who care for patients
      Great science

      Cons

      Very poor management but with a small company mentality and a TON of politics
      Without any rhyme or reason, people get promoted just because they "appear" qualified
      Terrible BD group currently led by someone without any BD experience

      Advice to Management

      Change or retire before destroying even more shareholder value
      Hire people who know how to grow the company
      Promote people who are qualified with experience

    10. "Sr. Analyst"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook
      Approves of CEO

      I have been working at BioMarin Pharmaceutical full-time (Less than a year)

      Pros

      Great People
      Great Company Mission

      Cons

      Many growing pains as the organization transitions from a small company to a profitable Biotech