software engineer

mechanical engineer

test engineer

controls engineer

intern

Deka Research & Development

Don’t do contract work with them. If this is what they offer you after interviewing say no and make sure you have other opportunities lined up. Worked for DEKA a short while. I knew about the company and fully believe in the technology is provides for society. However, it lacks business structure and organization. Engineering is the forefront of this company and is not a bad thing but how it’s managed and the complete lack of communication between departments is deeply concerning from a business standard. It’s core infrastructure of how to run a business of its growing size needs a lot of professional help. I met a lot of talented hard working individuals that would do well with strong leadership. There was little advancement and like many other comments good for newbies in the industry but a dead end for those with experience. 

Coworker jokingly pointed pellet gun at my face pulled trigger. Luckily it wasn't loaded. My office area was then riddled with pellets. When I asked not to have to work with him. They sent him to talk to me. I couldn't tell you what he said I was too upset. I was then labeled a bad employee because "I couldn't work with everyone". After that I became depressed. When I coworker asked why I was not so happy anymore and I told him, a manager overheard. I was dragged in front of HR and company lawyer. I was told that I was overheard and couldn't tell people about it. I asked what I said that was untrue. It wasn't that hr said. It just makes people feel uneasy.  I said if hearing about it makes people uneasy imagine how I feel having lived through it. I couldn't get out of there fast enough. I also know I was not the only one treated like this.

DEKA is a great place to work if you are new to the biotechnology/pharmaceutical industry. However there is no advancement for the test technicians unless you are an engineer. All test technicians are contractors, so there were no benefits when I was working there a few years ago. The atmosphere overall is great though. All the employees are fun to work with, they keep the stress level to a minimum, and occasionally have parties for their employers. I learned a lot about medical devices, proper GDP, and a cGMP environment. I would love to work for DEKA again if I was given a first shift full time position for in order to receive benefits.

Great company to gain experience in R&D and developing new and innovative technologies.  Much of their work is with medical products although they do work on non-medical technology as well.  DEKA does not ship product itself, it is contracted to develop product for clients.  They tackle some pretty tough problems and frequently are at the leading edge of the technology curve.  Management is hit or miss depending on product/department - some managers are outstanding but some clearly lack the people skills necessary to be effective and inspiring leaders.  Also keep track of your work/life balance, the company is more than willing to consume any extra time and effort you may put in.  You get to work with some amazingly talented people on some challenging problems and if you have the opportunity to work there, you should check them out.

DEKA is often an inspiring place to work. I genuinely feel the ambition to help people is ingrained in the company culture. Additionally, there are many learning opportunities throughout the company which have been invaluable.

However, timing is everything, and it seems that landing in the late development phases of a project a few times in a row means getting stuck with validation work for a long time and missing out on actual development. It's important work, but prolonged exposure to testing wears on a soul.

I loved working at Deka, as someone trying to move up within the field there were lots of opportunities to learn new things. If you require structure, I would not recommend. There's lot of hands off from management and I could within reason pick what I wanted to work on any given day. 
A potential con is that your schedule would depend on what department you were assigned to. Some departments would be required to come in at 8am on the dot, but with my department, I was allowed to show up between 8-10am and stay for 8 hours. 
Another con was my earned time off for hourly employees were not posted anywhere. 

This is a good place to start out of college, although the turn over is very quick. Most people do not stay for more than 2 years. The hours are convenient and the pay is okay for a first job, however there are far too many people with management/supervisory/engineering positions. This makes the department very inefficient and disorganized, since every person in leadership is competing for priority/superiority over the others. If the pay was better and the company was more organized it would be an excellent place to make a career, otherwise it has a ways to go.

I enjoyed my time working at DEKA Research and would certainly go back if the opportunity arises. There is a continuous ability to learn and grow, fast-paced and hard working individuals who like to have fun and want to make a difference. Downside was the insurance wasn't the top-tier and the pay scale I thought was below average. There is a large gym in one of the buildings, they try and do events every once in a while and there are different groups of people that manage the outing, you just need to find them.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Exciting work,most people, benefits 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
No stress. I worked with engineering.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Family environment. Medical r@d

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Getting your work done to meet customer needs and responsibilities

Depending on your project, the position can be quite demanding. However, DEKA gives you the resource to solve any problem, and learn while doing so. There is an incredible amount of knowledge in the company, and its open for everyone to use. Working here can be a very rewarding experience if you want to absorb as much knowledge as possible, and dive deep technically. 

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Software engineer 8 salaries reported	$95,750 per year
Mechanical engineer 4 salaries reported	$89,750 per year
Test engineer 3 salaries reported	$69,000 per year
Controls engineer 3 salaries reported	$97,667 per year
Intern 5 salaries reported	$22.80 per hour

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