Technically rewarding if you can handle the powerplays - Engineer Exponent Employee Review

3.0
May 11, 2009
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The technical problems that an engineer would face on a day in day out bases is great. The jobs are challenging and very rewarding.

Cons

Employees are on a sink or swim path. Either find your own work to become successful in the company or start looking for somewhere else to work. Review time is brutal as every little thing that you have done for the year is reviewed. The main office tends to horde work, leaving satellite offices to fend for themselves during slow times. Managers will horde work even to the point of flying across the country for a job even if they have support staff in the city they are flying to that could handle the work.

Explore other reviews about Exponent

5.0
Mar 17, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good benefits and great culture

Cons

Inconsistent workload but partly due to the nature of the business

2
2.0
May 14, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Diverse work, intelligent and ambitious colleagues, above average compensation package for newly minted PhDs. Giving 2 stars simply because of these perks.

Cons

Extremely poor work/life balance, high pressure on billable hours/utilization, cutthroat/burn-and-churn culture, weak management, poor mentorship opportunities (didn't feel inspired by many leaders), sink-or-swim onboarding (I think this has changed a little since I left), ton of gatekeeping around promotions, and worst of all.... there's very little humanity present in the culture. Almost everyone I knew didn't fundamentally feel as if their office, practice, and/or manager cared about them as a human. Bad managers get promoted so long as they're revenue generating. I would not recommend this company to be a person's first choice.

2
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