Pros
Projects - This is where the company excels. They are involved in virtually ever major health policy reform initiative that the government is driving and as a researcher you get to be part of this. You come here for the exposure, but virtually little else. Don't expect to learn any pick up programming or project management skills that reflect industry standards. This company is a dinosaur. If you are not interested in pursuing a career in public health, just do something else. Benefits - They have a good leave policy and decent health benefits. I don't care about receiving bagels once a week, donuts once a month, snacks twice a week, or lunch once a month, but if those are things you care about, they exist. They also offer free 24 hour fitness gym pass if just any gym pass is what you are looking for and free group fitness classes onsite, which are actually pretty decent. Job Security - You will have your job forever. Given the state of healthcare in this country, no matter what happens, Acumen will always have work which in turn means that you will always have work.
Cons
Management - Top to bottom, it stinks. There are no two ways about it. It's a long standing issue and it doesn't matter what HR says in their responses here. Although there is a new management training program, this is geared towards new first time managers (two years out of college). Mid-level and upper management is not trained at all. Work-Life Balance - Despite its age, the company has not found a way to staff up effectively. Both junior and senior staff regularly put in obscene hours and it is not unusual to see groups regularly working well into the night and on the weekends. As an employee you are expected to stay switched on for at least 12 hours each day. Family, hobbies, time for yourself be damned. Turn over is high and not unsurprising given the circumstances. Pay - Pay is ok and is not commensurate with effort. Benefits - HR is focused on bringing a wide range of "benefits"; free 24 hour fitness passes was one of the "upgrades" that they implemented. Similarly, they have found a way to offer a range of services that you can pay to receive at the office include chair massages, teeth whitening (!), shoe repairs etc. Not sure I would want to receive any of these services in the middle of packed day in a conference room somewhere. Not my style, but perhaps there are employees who appreciate this. To me this is a con. Just give me the money instead. Again, see previous comment on HR cluelessness. Getting to work can be a total time sink if you don't own a car. HR - Pleasant, but clueless (as they will repeatedly demonstrate through responses to most of these posts and as implied above). They don't seem particularly clued into issues around the lack of work-life balance and, frankly, I believe they are hamstrung by upper management.
