Career progression is extremely limited, with little consideration given to employees’ experience or background when assigning work. There is rarely any opportunity to choose the type of projects you work on, which makes it difficult to align your role with your skills or interests.
Management tends to be highly top-down. Ideas and input from team members are often dismissed, with managers and project leads maintaining tight control over decisions. This environment discourages initiative and stifles creativity.
As a result, the work can feel unfulfilling and disconnected from meaningful engineering or research. Much of the focus shifts toward internal politics and meeting managerial expectations rather than producing impactful work.
It is particularly frustrating that senior hires are frequently assigned tasks that could be handled by recent graduates, leading to a sense of underutilization and stagnation. Over time, this creates a feeling of dissatisfaction and concern that your career development is being negatively affected.
One of the most frustrating aspects is the disconnect between how the company presents itself and the actual employee experience. A great deal of effort is put into promoting a culture that supports professional growth and enables people to do their best work. However, in practice, this often feels superficial. The reality does not consistently reflect these values. Opportunities for meaningful development, autonomy, and impactful work are limited, which creates the impression that the messaging is more about image than genuine commitment. This gap between expectation and experience can be particularly disappointing for employees who join with the hope of growing and contributing at a higher level.
