On the decline - Senior Scientist Genentech Employee Review

2.0
16 Jan 2019
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Pay is solid, the folks in the lab doing the work are some of the best in the industry

Cons

A bloated middle management class has created an endless array of silos, committees, and processes that have significantly hindered any innovation, good decision-making, speed, or risk taking. The company has a severe aversion to any risk. Career development is almost non-existent unless you're a director's golden child. The only attributes that the middle management class seem to acknowledge is ambition and obsequiousness. Morale and energy are extremely low.

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Genentech Response
7y
Thank you for sharing your review. As a company focused on tackling some of the world’s most serious and life-threatening diseases, we are driven by a sense of urgency to bring breakthrough medicines to patients. Thus, remaining agile and fostering a space where innovation can thrive is central to our mission. That said, we are simplifying and bringing greater efficiency to our operations so employees can contribute their best. Our success depends on our ability to remain agile and responsive and we will continue to evaluate and evolve in service of our patients.

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5.0
6 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great salary and team! The interview process was smooth and effective.

Cons

To be determined, but so far many alignment meetings. Some folks have frustuations around the re-org and strategy changes.

3.0
7 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Genentech's origin story and mission are genuinely inspiring — few companies can point to such a meaningful historical arc in medicine. Patient engagement is taken seriously and feels authentic, not performative. The campus is beautiful and the culture has real warmth.

Cons

DDA is operating with significant gaps. First, the foundational data infrastructure is not mature enough to support the ambitions being set for the team. Second, the measurement culture has gotten ahead of the methodology, and no one in a position of authority seems to be asking hard questions about whether the numbers actually mean what they're being presented as meaning. Third, some management feel disconnected from the work itself, lacking the knowledge, hands-on experience, or relevant credentials. Individually any one of these would be manageable. Together these create an environment where it's hard to do rigorous work, rather work is performative, and be recognized for it.

2
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