Pros
In my opinion, Azavea is an employees-first company. Everyone has a budget for professional development, 10% time for R&D projects, ludicrously generous benefits, and a 40 hour work week (not 60 hours, 50 hours, or 41 hours--40 hours). The big pros: 1. Your colleagues are kind, smart, and skilled. They take pride in their work, but are not proud people. 2. Teams are small and independent. You will not be micro-managed, and no one stays late at the office to show off. 3. The work itself is varied but always purposeful. There's a strong focus on staying at the cutting edge of web and geospatial technology. Occasionally, projects begin as federally-funded research and evolve over time into standalone products.
Cons
No company is without cons. Some drawbacks: 1. If a raise and more responsibility isn't enough recognition for you, Azavea might not be a good fit. There are no significant titles to be earned here, because there isn't a traditional management hierarchy. 2. The office is quiet--most employees need space to focus on detail-intensive work like programming or data analysis. If you're accustomed to a lively or rambunctious office culture, you'll feel the adjustment. 3. The company is growing about as fast as it can without raising outside capital. There are lots of new faces, and few traditions. Processes are in place, but they constantly change and occasionally "break"--you have to be willing to accept change to make a career here.