Is Fermilab a good company to work for?

Fermilab has an overall rating of 3.4 out of 5, based on over 334 reviews left anonymously by employees. This rating has increased by 11% over the last 12 months. 52% of employees would recommend working at Fermilab to a friend and 37% have a positive outlook for the business. The best reviews about Fermilab have been left by employees working as Intern , Postdoctoral Research Associate and Engineer .

Does Fermilab pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Fermilab employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.6 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Fermilab. This rating has improved by 4% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Fermilab?

52% of Fermilab employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Fermilab 3.8 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.0 for culture and values and 3.1 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Fermilab?

Intern (18) , Engineer (11) , Postdoctoral Research Associate (10) , Summer Intern (10) , Research Associate (7) , Software Engineer (7) , Graduate Research Assistant (6) , Research Intern (6) , Technician (5) , Undergraduate Research Assistant (5) , Mechanical Engineer (4) , Senior Engineer (4) , Staff Engineer (4) , Administrative Assistant (3) , Financial Analyst (3)

What are the pros of working at Fermilab according to real employee reviews?

"people are nice and friendly" ((in 40 reviews)); "Benefits are good." ((in 26 reviews)); "Friendly work environment." ((in 9 reviews)); "Landscapes and nature, Wilson Hall building, some decent coworkers, some benefits, great science." ((in 5 reviews)); "Advancement opportunities." ((in 5 reviews))

What are the cons of working at Fermilab according to real employee reviews?

"low salary and low working efficiency" ((in 10 reviews)); "Managers are detached and don’t fully understand those below them" ((in 9 reviews)); "Low pay (reasonable considering national lab)" ((in 7 reviews)); "Annual layoffs are now the norm." ((in 5 reviews))

What are employees saying about Fermilab layoffs in 2026?

Explore Glassdoor’s employee reviews to understand what current and former employees are saying about Fermilab layoffs and their outlook for job security at Fermilab in 2026.

What are the top reviewed Fermilab locations?

Batavia , Chicago , Aurora , DeKalb , Warrenville , Champaign , Carpentersville , Hanover Park , Naperville , Galesburg , Minneapolis , Los Angeles , Bettendorf , Illinoi

Fermilab reviews

3.4

52% would recommend to a friend

(228 total reviews)

Nigel Lockyer

47% approve of CEO

37% positive business outlook

Company ratings over time

Ratings trend for the last 6 months (228 reviews)

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Fermilab has an employee rating of 3.4 out of 5 stars, based on 228 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Fermilab employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Government & Public Administration industry (3.6 stars).

Reviews by job title

228 reviews

1.0

Mar 14, 2013

Violations

Executive assistant

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

At this time I see not one positive thing about working at Fermilab.

Cons

They have violated EEOC laws and continued to do it for 21 months. By law on November 21, 2009 they were required to stop requesting medical history on new employees. They continued to do it until August 2011.

4.0

Feb 1, 2010

Computing Division Fermilab

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

A lot of resources for new equipment. Nice place to gain experience in large environment, without a lot of pressure. 8-5, overtime is uncommon.

Cons

Not much interaction between departments outside of meetings. Not a place to social. Mostly runs by retiring age people, from Physics background, without corporate experience.

2.0

Jun 22, 2026

Good pay overshadowed by poor management

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Competitive Salary Remote Work Autonomy

Cons

Limited Growth Opportunities Politics more important than work ethic Lack of Communication Poorly Managed Severe lack of training

Viewing 79 - 81 of 228 Reviews

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Jobs at Fermilab

Security Officer (Day Shift)

Administrative Assistant III (3-year term)

Global Services Associate

Student Research Assistant

Outdoor Property Control Clerk

Fermilab

Fermilab reviews

Company ratings over time

Ratings by demographic groups

Reviews by job title

Violations

Computing Division Fermilab

Good pay overshadowed by poor management

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Jobs at Fermilab