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      MIT Lincoln Laboratory

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      MIT Lincoln Laboratory reviews

      Simple changes could make this place great - Associate Staff Engineer MIT Lincoln Laboratory Employee Review

      2.0
      Aug 11, 2023
      Associate staff engineer
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business Outlook

      Pros

      Interesting projects and programs. Overall really great staff to work with. People are nice and technically capable.

      Cons

      Need to overhall management and increase pay. Salaries for staff are so low that mid level engineers cannot afford to live without roommates. The idea of owning a home in todays market on the salary provided is not possible or very improbable. Generally speaking going above and beyond a staff position isn’t rewarded. So a lot of staff that have been at the lab for 20+ years don’t put a lot of work in and they put the work on the younger staff. A lot of the work is unsustainable. Depending on the division you may work on 8+ projects at a time If you don’t have a PhD you can’t move up in the organization.

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      MIT Lincoln Laboratory Response
      2y
      Thank you for taking the time to write a thoughtful review. We always look for ways to enhance your work experience and we value your feedback. Please understand that we work very hard to align our employees’ skill sets and career goals with the most relevant career path, whether through a management track or technical track. Additionally, as an FFRDC, Lincoln Laboratory takes a total compensation approach to rewarding our employees, which allows us to be competitive while also adhering to regulations that FFRDCs are subject to. In addition to your pay, we offer a competitive range of benefits and resources designed to keep you healthy and help build long-term financial security. To explore all benefits offered to you as a Lincoln Laboratory employee, including pension, 401K, portable childcare subsidy, learning, mentorship, and professional development programs, visit https://hr.mit.edu/benefits

      Explore other reviews about MIT Lincoln Laboratory

      5.0
      Jun 3, 2026
      Member of technical staff
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business Outlook

      Pros

      It can vary a lot from group to group, but in general, wonderful place with wonderful people and lots of interesting work going on. Excellent benefits and lots of flexibility to explore different projects.

      Cons

      Little opportunity for advancement in terms of rank and compensation once you reach technical staff. Additionally (again varies from group to group) expectations of what a staff member does can be unclear and there can be a light sink-or-swim nature to the work, again depending on the group you're in.

      4.0
      Jun 17, 2026
      Member of technical staff
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business Outlook

      Pros

      Worked with some of the smartest people I’ve ever known. Great opportunities to learn from your coworkers and an atmosphere that encourages learning, including a well-run technical education program. Fabulous support staff and technicians that can get seemingly impossible things done quickly. Great resources and lab spaces (if a bit dated). The nature of the work encourages good work/life balance. Fantastic benefits (though the pay is low).

      Cons

      No/limited opportunities for advancement makes this a hard place to work mid-career. Good engineers are promoted to be mediocre managers. Every program is under-funded, under-staffed, and over schedule. Bad managers are shuffled around but rarely fired.

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