Great benefits, decent pay (for grad school), but toxic culture - Research Assistant MIT Employee Review

4.0
May 19, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Unionized, so there are robust worker protections, explicit vacation and 30-day consecutive remote time, benefits (T subsidy, health/dental/vision)

Cons

At least in my department, there are a lot of toxic advisors. There is a culture of overwork at MIT

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5.0
Jun 25, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great research opportunities in EECS

Cons

Can be difficult to manage claszes

4.0
Jun 26, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

High quality core facilities and well resourced labs. Countless brilliant colleagues who can serve as mentors and collaborators

Cons

Students and Postdocs are expensive due to high overhead, so unreasonably high productivity is often expected compared to other institutions. PIs are typically stretched very thin. Most departments/labs are very space limited which makes it harder to do safe and productive research.

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