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Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories

Is this your company?

I was a worker bee - Assembler Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories Employee Review

2.0
May 1, 2012
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Decent benefits. Sometimes corporate hands out random bonuses. Free lunch on Friday, though it isn't always 'up to par' as far as food goes. Employee stock ownership (but to say employees actually own the company is a faux pas). They usually can work with you if you have some kind of special schedule need.

Cons

Low pay. If they can afford 4 corporate jets and offices around the world, they can afford to pay the people on the floor more than $10 an hour. An 'at will employer'. Basically they can fire anyone they don't like, but you can quit anytime as well. I knew 2 people who were fired because their supervisor would complain about them to HR and 'document' the 'problems', put them on an 'improvement plan', and then the first slip-up, they were gone. Another colleague was not allowed to switch shifts because of a perceived 'quality issue'. Things like this are just completely asinine and show the level of ineptitude in bottom and mid-level supervisors/managers. A huge gap between salaried and hourly employees. When I say gap, I mean both in pay and general respect. "Oh you work in manufacturing" = you are automatically seen as an outcast compared to others. No cell phones on the floor for worker bees, but anyone else is not questioned about it. The only reason this company made it on to the Best 100 companies is because of all the non-manufacturing, salaried employees that do nothing but push pencils across a desk and get paid for it. Of course they will think it is a great company.

Explore other reviews about Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories

5.0
Jul 2, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good work culture and benefits

Cons

Less other location options other than Pullman

4.0
Apr 8, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Right job for some people. If you buy into the koolaid and are passionate about the power industry this can be an incredible job for you. The benefits are pretty great. I really enjoyed my coworkers, all of them feel human and are earnest. You can live quite cheaply in Pullman. There is an incredible amount of job security. SEL boasts they've never done a layoff. Additionally their ESOP distribution is generous - though it takes 6 years to fully vest. There is a lot of things I really admire about the company and the culture.

Cons

Comp is lower side. A lot of people are hired out of college and have only ever worked at SEL so sometimes I feel like there is a bit of an echo chamber. Small town. I really struggled with the initial allocation of 12 days PTO. 17 after 2 years is much easier. As a SWE, the company feels very catered to their power engineers. Company is very traditional in its values, people wear suits to work. Seems like the timeline for promotion is quite slow for SWE compared to other companies. I see a lot of friction when lower level engineers trying to advocate for changes; though I do think that the conversations with leadership happen in good faith.

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