Kite Pharma reviews

3.6

62% would recommend to a friend

(505 total reviews)
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Cindy Perettie

67% approve of CEO

50% positive business outlook

Kite Pharma has an employee rating of 3.6 out of 5 stars, based on 505 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Kite Pharma employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology industry (3.5 stars).

Reviews by job title

505 reviews
2.0
Feb 20, 2021
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Benefits and pay for full time employees, free snacks/drinks

Cons

So many cons, where do I start... I guess the (1) main con would be that those who are in management/leadership positions don't really know how to do their job. And this, as you would think, impacts everybody below them. (1) We have people in management making decisions for people on the floor, when these so-called leaders don't actually know anything about the daily routine and context of the job. They say things like "you work on the floor every day, you know your work best, let us know what we need in order to help you." And when you ask for help or offer suggestions, management will say something like, "Does that really impact your job?" (Ummm... Yes??? That's why I'm bringing it up in the first place?) There's absolutely no trust... We'll say things like "We're understaffed, we need help, we need more people." And management will go in the opposite direction and downsize the group instead. (2) Management is also full of people who got there because they lied in their interviews about their work experience OR because they know someone who they used to work, who helped them get the job. It's all about the connections... There is one person (probably more to be honest) in management who got several bad annual reviews and several employee complaints (which went directly to managers and directors), yet this person still remains at Kite. This same person has also bullied/manipulated/gaslighted/mistreated their subordinates and still, nothing has been done. Kite will probably see this and claim that they take these "allegations" seriously, but it's already been proven that there are no repercussions to employees who are toxic and negatively affect those around them. (3) Oh, and another thing about management. They don't value their contractors. They work hard and get the lowest minimum pay Kite can give, nothing else. This is the very thing that will demoralize someone, causing them to lose motivation for the job. This leads to poor performance... Leads to them leaving to a better job. And in turn, makes the FTE/trainers suffer when they have to train someone new more often than needed (a new contractor who might not even last). Oh, and some teams are made of 50-60% contractors. A lot of these contractors' contracts end in March 2021... It's February 2021... And management STILL HAS NO ANSWER on whether or not these people will have a job or not in 4 weeks. I haven't seen this level of procrastination since college when I started my homework AFTER it was due. (4) Not much room for growth. (low chance of being promoted, low chance of cross-training) (5) Almost every department is understaffed... (6) Kind of hard for lateral movement (to other depts), some supervisors/managers will get in your way if you try to leave.

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Kite Pharma Response
5y
Hi, this is Matt Hostetler. I’d like to speak more about some of the things you wrote in your review – please reach out to me directly to set up time. Our culture at Kite is extremely important to me and to every single member of the Kite Leadership Team. This is why we’ve dedicated specific key performance indictors (KPIs) related to culture as part of our 2021 metrics. We’ll be measuring our progress and holding ourselves accountable every step of the way. I look forward to sharing more about this when we speak.
5.0
Jul 29, 2016

Excellent Company

Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Kite is a company on the cutting edge of cancer research and is one of the leading developers of life changing therapies that will make an incredible impact on patients and their families. I am proud to work here and love the family feeling, innovative environment, and being around some of the best people in the healthcare field.

Cons

Kite is an intense, focused environment where long hours are the norm, but the rewards are significant and the personal feeling of achievement is like nothing else. With our establishment of a new manufacturing site, Kite has made a major investment in the future of cancer treatment to help patients that need that help very much.

1.0
Sep 5, 2022
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Cutting-edge science; co-workers are passionate about the company's mission

Cons

Unfortunately, there is an unspoken cultural issue within a certain group. For more than a year, I was bullied for simply carrying out my assigned duties, by an individual in a position of authority. This individual was a constant threat to my psychological well-being, through his yelling, harsh criticism, hindering vital job-related information, and demeaning remarks. It became apparent that his toxicity was personal, as I was singled out in both private and in public settings. Despite my repeated effort to forge a relationship with this individual, the situation persisted. This experience left me extremely stressed and traumatized; I regret not escalating it in time due to the fear of retaliation. Eventually, this person succeeded at his ability to manipulate the organization and even got a promotion. For anyone interested, I have since joined a much healthier company where culture is highly valued. I'm once again able to do my best work, enjoying making a positive impact, knowing that all employee's safety counts.

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Kite Pharma Response
3y
Hi, this is Cara Bauer, Kite’s Global Head of Human Resources. Gilead and Kite are committed to the highest standards of ethical conduct in all of our activities. Integrity and doing what’s right are part of our Core Values, and we take these commitments very seriously. Employees should always reach out to their manager or Human Resources should they wish to discuss an issue; they can also reach our Global Ethics Hotline 24/7 if they wish to report an issue anonymously or ask a question about any of our policies. My door is always open for a confidential conversation. Please send me an email so we can set up time to discuss some of the comments in your review.
Viewing 4 - 6 of 505 Reviews

Glassdoor has 659 Kite Pharma reviews submitted anonymously by Kite Pharma employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Kite Pharma is right for you.