Pros
The people at Ginkgo are truly passionate about what they do and the mission they serve. We're all total nerds and love talking about this stuff. It's really fun to be working in a job where I'm PROUD to talk to my friends and family about what I do, that hasn't always been the case in my career. Some random specific pros: - Grow as fast as you are able; this is a place where high ceilings are rewarded, you just need to grab the bull by the horns and run with it - Amazing culture, it's about the science and the mission - Generous equity-based compensation; Ginkgo really values employee ownership and wants employees to be incentivized to build lasting long-term value - Dog room! :) - Crazy smart colleagues who are generous with their time and are committed to working together on this mission - Lots of fun benefits - obviously the normal stuff but also lots of cool discounts (BlueBikes, Reebok, ZipCar, etc.)
Cons
- As with any mission-driven organization, it can be hard to turn work "off" - it's easy to overwork and the pace at which Ginkgo is growing is relentless; it's a huge growth opportunity, but people need to learn how to pace themselves - Company is still experiencing some growing pains around certain organizational processes - people coming in from very large companies may need some time to get used to how "flat" Ginkgo's organization is - Had to buy my own phone / data plan - first time I didn't have my employer paying for my phone! I feel like a grown up now...