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MEMC Electronic Materials Reviews
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    MEMC Electronic Materials Reviews

    37 reviews

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    2.7
    StarStarStarStarStar
    Rating TrendsRating Trends
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    MEMC Electronic Materials President, CEO, and Director Ahmad R. Chatila
    Ahmad R. Chatila
    14 Ratings

    37 Employee Reviews

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    1. "Great Company to work for"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Process Engineer in Saint Peters, MO
      Former Employee - Process Engineer in Saint Peters, MO

      Pros

      If you are interested in getting it done, you can do it.

      Cons

      Processes not very organized, otherwise it was a really good place to work. I would definitely work there again, and would recommend the company to others.

    2. "Perfect for anyone who enjoys being a slave to their job"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Anonymous Employee in O'Fallon, MO
      Former Employee - Anonymous Employee in O'Fallon, MO
      Doesn't Recommend
      Negative Outlook
      Disapproves of CEO

      I worked at MEMC Electronic Materials (More than 3 years)

      Pros

      Incredibly innovative and cutting edge technology
      Always something new to work on
      Ample opportunity for career growth

      Cons

      Always looking to save money, often by laying off people and leaving others to do the work of many
      Poor morale among employees
      Frequently chooses less expensive out of country options
      Usually have to work about 16 hours a day 6 days a week

      Advice to Management

      Hire more staff from within the States, provide ample staffing for company demands

    3. "Culture has changed supposedly"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Employee in Belmont, CA
      Former Employee - Employee in Belmont, CA
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook
      No opinion of CEO

      I worked at MEMC Electronic Materials full-time (More than a year)

      Pros

      I liked the strategy of vertical integration

      Cons

      Execution of strategy was bungled
      Toxic senior management (most gone now)

      Advice to Management

      Keep changing culture for better

    4. "Overall very good"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Maintenance Technician in Portland, OR
      Former Employee - Maintenance Technician in Portland, OR
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook
      Approves of CEO

      I worked at MEMC Electronic Materials full-time (More than 3 years)

      Pros

      Company is vertically integrated allowing them to control there own success. Learn your job and do it the best you can to prevent getting laid off during the bad times

      Cons

      At times they have poor planning. Then again, who in the industry doesn't?

      Advice to Management

      Communication to your workforce is key. With the right communication lines, your workforce will see where you are trying to lead and either help you get there, or tell you why that's a bad idea. Either way, you will be successful with good communications.

    5. "Focus only on short term goals"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Process Engineer in Sherman, TX
      Former Employee - Process Engineer in Sherman, TX
      Doesn't Recommend
      Negative Outlook
      Disapproves of CEO

      I worked at MEMC Electronic Materials full-time (More than 5 years)

      Pros

      Good and strong R&D. The pay was decent. Quarterly incentives used to be good. Most of the people are good to work with. Good work life balance.

      Cons

      Management focus is only on short term goals. Need to improve on quality. Quality is not on par with the Japanese companies. Not much opportunities for career advancement. Most of the manufacturing has been shifted to Asia. No long term vision.

      Advice to Management

      Focus on long term vision. Improve quality.

    6. "Pays well, works you hard, and R&D is infallible"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Process Engineer in Saint Peters, MO
      Former Employee - Process Engineer in Saint Peters, MO
      Doesn't Recommend
      Negative Outlook
      Disapproves of CEO

      I worked at MEMC Electronic Materials full-time (More than a year)

      Pros

      If you are based in St. Peters the pay is nice. Coastal wages in the heartland. On the solar side there are some neat new technologies they are working on.

      Cons

      Work life balance is awful. With overseas facilities about 12 hours ahead of us, you are on the phone late at night and early in the morning.
      At the time I was there the R&D team was still inexperienced with certain processes and they were not open to listening to non PHD engineers who did have the experience. Management supported the superiority of R&D.
      Very high turn over in corporate office.

      Advice to Management

      I know times are lean, but think beyond the next quarter when making decisions. Engineers without PHD's can help solve manufacturing issues too.

    7. "It used to be a great place to work"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Technician in Saint Peters, MO
      Former Employee - Technician in Saint Peters, MO
      Doesn't Recommend
      Negative Outlook
      Disapproves of CEO

      I worked at MEMC Electronic Materials full-time (More than 10 years)

      Pros

      It was well run 15+ yrs. ago. They paid well, benefits were good, and management was well liked and respected. The only pros as of 2012 was work schedule and location.

      Cons

      The company has moved most manufacturing jobs overseas or eliminated jobs from downsizing.
      There is very little capital invested maintaining durable goods.
      Management decisions were made to make money during the short term with no regard to long term consequences.

      Advice to Management

      You need to move HQ to either Asia or Europe since the American facilities have all but been closed down.

    8. Helpful (1)

      "Don't work here unless you're desperate"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Process Engineer in Pasadena, TX
      Former Employee - Process Engineer in Pasadena, TX
      Doesn't Recommend
      Negative Outlook
      No opinion of CEO

      I worked at MEMC Electronic Materials full-time (Less than a year)

      Pros

      The pay is pretty good for an engineer, though slightly inferior to others on the channel. It's almost larceny that operators are paid >30% over market yet engineers don't despite not a huge difference in pay, especially when OT is offered to operators.

      Cons

      The silicon market for next two years (2012-2014) sucks so layoffs have occurred and will recur. They force the engineers to work out of trailers right next to the Operating facility which handles hydrogen and silane gas which are both explosive. Remember BP Texas City in 2005. The trailers are falling apart and very noisy and hot in summer. Huge safety issues with high injury rate in the last few years and large "we didn't invent it here" philosophy. Most engineers are H1-B so communications in English are very difficult and they are very careful to not ask too many questions. In other words, indentured servitude. Turnover is rampant like Taco Bell.

      Advice to Management

      Instead of pretending to back new and creative ideas necessary for the plant service, i.e. lip service, be willing to take risks. Also, hire competent experienced engineers who know what the hell they're doing instead of green grunts who blunder through helplessly in a dangerous process.

    9. "A very good job in a bad location"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      Current Employee - Research Scientist in Saint Louis, MO
      Current Employee - Research Scientist in Saint Louis, MO
      Recommends
      Neutral Outlook
      Approves of CEO

      I have been working at MEMC Electronic Materials full-time

      Pros

      The R&D team is very strong and most people know what they are talking about. The managers are efficient and helpful.

      Cons

      The area the company is located is in the middle of nowhere. It is even difficult to find good food for lunch. The companies financial status is not stable and this job is not secure.

    10. "MEMC is not a company to be"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Auditor in Saint Peters, MO
      Former Employee - Auditor in Saint Peters, MO
      Doesn't Recommend
      Negative Outlook
      Disapproves of CEO

      I worked at MEMC Electronic Materials full-time (More than 3 years)

      Pros

      I don't have any nice thing to say about this company

      Cons

      Company culture is awfull especially the top management

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