Pluspunten
- Beautiful office space in a nice part of DC (historic building, nice rooftop, gym, dining hall) - Free breakfast and gourmet subsidized lunches - Employees have the opportunity to attend as many AEI event as their schedule allows. You're getting access to amazing scholars and though provoking research - Friendly, collegiate junior staff. Socially fun and easy to make friends. - AEI is a principled, well-respected think tank with a solid reputation
Minpunten
- Low pay. It honestly feels like they take advantage of junior staff's desire to get their foot in the door by undercutting them. Pay is not on par with other similar think tanks in DC. It is very difficult to be comfortable with what they offer in one of the most expensive cities in the US. You will not have a comfortable salary here unless you stick around for multiple years, then maybe. - Lots of management issues. There are a select few individuals in management roles who have been there for years, very inflexible, and entrenched in doing things the way they've always been done. Generally difficult to work with, high stress, and treat every situation as if the stakes are high even when they are not. Very draining to work under after a while. - Executive leadership is extremely disconnected with junior staff, and even many managers. Executives will not show any genuine interest in you, your experience, or advancement. Probably will not even know your name even if you have been there for years. - Drama/politics amongst scholars is a big problem. Many scholars are very difficult to work with, cause problems, are straight up rude to other staff, and they get away with it because AEI puts them on a pedestal. - High turnover amongst junior staff for the above reasons. Teams and constantly shifting, new people always onboarding, no stability. - Many people are more concerned with making a name for themselves and their own advancement rather than the wellbeing of the team and out of genuine desire to advance AEI's mission. - AEI has around 200 staff members which causes a lot of bureaucracy and inefficiency. Junior staff are micromanaged, not allowed to try new things or take on new responsibilities outside of their role.