Drug Discovery Veteran with Great Benefits - Research Scientist AstraZeneca Employee Review

4.0
Oct 24, 2009
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

AstraZeneca is a good place to work, and they have a long history in drug discovery, so it's also a great place to learn. There are several employees with 20+ years of experience and they're valuable resources. The compensation is inline with industry standards and the benefits are some of the best available. 6% match, dollar for dollar, on 401k, a retirement plan too, all the usual health care benefits, signing bonus, cost of living adjustments and relocation $$, and a very strong annual bonus system -- 20-30% in cash, and the same percentage in LTI stock.

Cons

The downside is that the company loyalty is strong and very few people leave the company, resulting in limited promotion opportunities. Since pharma is contracting right now, many of the divisions are not growing, so that also limits opportunities. The annual salary adjustments are usually 3-4%, which is sometimes out of line with inflation, but the bonus can make up for it.

Explore other reviews about AstraZeneca

5.0
Jun 25, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good products, great oncology pipeline

Cons

Global leaders moving to US that have limited understanding of US environment

4.0
Jun 29, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Lots to learn with multiple launches and focus on AI

Cons

heavy middle layer slows down decision making

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