Confluence of the drawbacks of government, non-profit and academe - Development Department Assistant Smithsonian Employee Review

2.0
Jul 1, 2016
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The institution offers wonderful educational benefits to the Washington, DC community and to people all over the world. Funding for the institutions activities is very stable overall, so there are few budget crunches. There is a lot of variety between the units, so some of them have excellent working environments.

Cons

The internal management systems are bureaucratic and inefficient. There is a lot of competition between individuals, departments and factions within departments. There is little flexibility for management to eliminate employees who are inefficient or are not contributing positively to a team environment.

Explore other reviews about Smithsonian

5.0
Mar 20, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Strong resources and a collaborative culture. Flexible mentorship and the freedom to explore diverse methods and research directions make this an extremely motivating environment to grow as a postdoc and, most importantly, as an independent researcher.

Cons

As a large institution, administrative processes and communication (e.g., contracts, payroll, or related matters) can occasionally be slow.

5.0
Jun 8, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great mission. Strong benefits including health insurance and 403b contribution. Many people stick around for 5, 10, 15+ years.

Cons

Things are sometimes slow due to bureaucracy.

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