Pros
I know what it's like to be frustrated trying to access scholarly articles and resources that are locked behind paywalls you can't afford. There is definitely a place for democratizing publishers like PLOS ONE, and, while there are finer points to be made about the pay-to-publish model, the overall mission is a worthwhile one. The workload for publication assistants in particular is overextending, but there is no expectation for you to work past your allotted hours for the day. The company fixes up weekly, in-house "happy hours," which are quite generous. There are some good opportunities for projects if you can manage the time for it.
Cons
Publications assistants on PLOS ONE really bust their chops and there is lots of turnover because it is just not sustainable. I just want to make an important note about how the company hires and promotes based primarily on "culture fit." This puts a premium on Western ideals like extraversion, culturally-insensitive ideas of good worker and leadership traits, and the unchecked personal discretion of managers and social cliques within the office. PLOS is a prime example of "culture fit" becoming discriminatory in nature. By now they are well-known for promoting pretty horribly, and you can read past reviews to get an idea of this. In this part of the country, no one is explicitly racist or even intends to be, but if your ability to mesh with predominantly white managers or social groups and exhibit Western-centric leadership traits is what gets you appreciated or promoted, then this kind of working climate, like so many, are simply favorable to those who are predisposed to it, as in highly favorable to white people cut from a certain cloth or background and those that 'hack' it. "Soft" racism if you will. Just read about all the literature that's come up about "culture fit" becoming another subtle form of racism and discrimination. It's a ceiling that exists for so many people of color, as well as those who don't readily fit the traits valued in individualistic, capitalist culture. There are many well-meaning people who, whether they know it or not, reinforce the status quo. PLOS company culture is a really good example of these things at play. I am grateful for the time I had here, even made some nice work buddies, but this point definitely needs to be made. In these times especially, there is no need to mince words when it comes to things like this. We should all be calling it out when we see it.
