electrical & instrumentation inspector

mechanic

production technician

area leader

unit manager

DuPont

What is the best part of working at the company?
The peers I worked with were exceptional people, dedicated to their positions, and always helpful. As well, the company stressed team environments to achieve goals and objectives.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Being subservient to open values that did not match my personal beliefs and values. This company has dramatically changed from being a family place to work ( 3 generations in my family) to one absolutely dedicated to and ramrodding inclusivity at the expense of other values.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Depends on your work group, your business unit, and the leadership controlling your work activity. If you are a team player and enjoy working in groups, DuPont can be very enjoyable. Independent thinkers with strong personalities might struggle a little more.

The biggest issue I have with the company is the flip to diversity-driven recognition and promotion. The company has become a very vocal mouthpiece for diversity inclusion and promtion (rather than just having HR policies that promote equality). If you are a white male or have strong Christian values, I would not recommend DuPont, unless you don't care about recognition or promotion. Anyone that doesn't fall in either category should do fine...you'll be promoted quickly even if your demonstrated capabilities don't merit the recognition and elevation. That also contributes to people being in positions above their skill levels, making decisions not favorable to business growth and development.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
I was fortunate to finish my career at DuPont in a role where I made decisions for the unit I was part of. Those I worked with were all peers and we got along famously and successfully for the benefit of the company's growth. I did have to work around other operating groups that had territorial proclivities, and there was far too much emotional pushing back and forth in their pursuits to protect their territory. This was one of the products the diversity climate espoused. Personal welfare for some came before the company's growth and development.

I managed large capex construction work for the company, and enjoyed the development and every day challenges of project work. And the folks I worked with were in every way rewarded much the same way - we could tangibly see the fruits of our labor, so in that regard, I loved what I did.

My time at DuPont was cut short, however, I did like the job. Safety is extremely important and the work was not very difficult as an operator. It was easy to learn and understand the job once I received proper training.

Their training is improving but, in my opinion, is done completely backwards as you spend 2-4 weeks going over everything via powerpoints and then they move you to the floor. The information you retain during the first few weeks will not register correctly as there are plenty of things you won't understand without floor experience. Co-workers are typically great people and will do their best to help you out - just don't be afraid to ask.

Really, though, the main issue I had working here was trusting leadership. There were a couple great team leaders and people you could trust or at least would do their best to provide the best, most accurate information but for the most part the communication is horrible and the information I received was always inaccurate. Don't trust what one person in leadership tells you if you have a question with anything. Every time I was told one thing - it would end up biting me in the butt. With that being said, they will cover their own butts before they cover yours and will never take responsibility for mistakes they make. Also, leadership is notorious for gossiping worse than teenage girls - so any personal information would be wise if kept to yourself as nothing seems to be confidential.

The plant manager at this site is great and appears to really care about the workers - so maybe a mistake I made was not going to him more on more serious questions or situations I was put in.

All in all, there is a much felt divide between operators and leadership at this site - as there appears to be a lack of respect for each other. The job isn't a horrible job and if you do your part, everything will work out but with their recent merger with Dow - there is uncertainty about which direction this plant will start to head. Pay, insurance plans, 401k, etc. may change and there is no clear cut answer as to when or what it will change to. If you're thinking about working for DuPont - just be careful, show up for work, trust nobody & everything should work out just fine.

My progression through the Company was pretty normal for the 80s. I came up through the ranks, as they say. After being promoted in 1990, my typical day's work was never the same from day to day. As the Facility Admin I was responsible for all personnel and equipment within each facility. In this function, I did everything from overseeing the Janitorial staff, to writing and preparing Lockouts, overseeing all Maintenance tasks,coordinating all personnel moves in my assigned areas, ordering supplies and preparing weekly reports. I was the person everyone called when something went wrong, no matter what. Obviously some days were better than others. The hardest part for me was when I couldn't satisfy someone's needs. My most enjoyable job was my final one in Site Housing,I was able to transfer in 2008. I had always been on the Dept. side and was now at the Site Level. I had various areas that I was responsible for which included making sure that each employee's move was scheduled in a timely manner, coordinating their telephone service and any furniture moves that individual may need. I was also responsible for all of my areas' facility floorplans. I was trained in both Aperture and CAFM (Computer Aided Facility Management). I also had to resolve facility floorplan and other personnel issues. In addition, I worked on many Special Projects. I have always enjoyed helping people and for 20 years, that's exactly what I did and that's where my greatest satisfaction came from, no matter how small or large the task. I was very fortunate that I always had good Management. I went to work at SRS with nothing more than a GED. I was promoted and along the way was taught how to operate a computer and became proficient in Microsoft programs as well as many other SRS specific programs. I received other job training when I needed it and along the way, made many life long friends.

working 12 hours overnight is tough and not appreciated enough, $2 differential is garbage , u can  pay 96 / week just to have good time w/ family and do other meaningful stuffs and not wear you out. 3% raise is also garbage because it doesnt happen every year, feel underappreciated for working here and get all the tasks done on time. if you work at night you wont have any real interaction with anyone else in the company and sometimes feel like you dont belong there. They has a gym but you have to pay to be healthy , since covid it shut down for like 2 years and recently reopen again. Some people join here worked since the company were still a great happy place to work, they got good raise and benefits, other joined after that are being run down and much lower pays that people would leave constantly . and the people been here for too long are most likely are really lazy at doing anything but get paid, no motivation for them because they are just waiting for retirement, not everyone are like that of course, but a lot of them. Good thing I worked with few good people who are reliable and self motivated , working with slob that doesnt clean up after themselves , or avoid doing  tasks that require more works is really toxic . overall , it's a great place to learn , but for future generation it not so much. 
Management need improvement, to actually make people those are slacking off and do their jobs. 
co-workers are the reason i feel like I dont want to work here, some are really nice but their work ethic cause you so much stress because of the work load. 
I enjoyed my schedule of 12 hrs shift. 

I went to work for DuPont at their Richmond, Virginia Spruance site in the spring of 2009. Specifically, I worked in the Tyvek® division as a laboratory technician, or product developer. The product, Tyvek® HomeWrap®, is a nonwoven polyethylene protective barrier used to prevent water from damaging the interior frames of houses while allowing air to pass through. My job was to investigate improvements of these properties and to test the results using American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) methods in the laboratory. Unfortunately, this involved extensive use of my chemistry background rather than the chemical engineering I had been studying. I also spent a significant part of the work term in an off-site laboratory-warehouse, which was secluded from the process engineering that I had hoped to be a part of. 
Despite this, I think the work experience at DuPont was quite valuable for my professional development and I would recommend it to anyone interested in the program. Most importantly, the DuPont experience taught me the utmost value of safety in the work place. I was introduced to the relationship between customer feedback and product development work. In addition, I gained extensive knowledge of ASTM methods and how to use and suggest design improvement s on the machinery necessary to implement the methods. Overall, I think the experience was useful for my professional development, but it lacked the chemical engineering experience I was seeking.

As far as the actual job itself, I had no issues. It was easy, it was (in my opinion) fun, and the pay was great. Lots of time off. Decent benefits. Lots of room to grow and advance.

However, there is a dark undercurrent to all of this. At DuPont, being a backstabber is absolutely rewarded. There is a very toxic culture in this company. They will move those that snake on their coworkers up in the company. Befriending higher ups, going to golf retreats and out-of-work meetings is something you essentially need to do. If you're someone that just wants to do your job and you get on someone's wrong side, they'll absolutely use you as a stepping stone for advancement.  I know, as I encountered this exact thing myself.

I made a few mistakes, and opportunistic people took that as an opportunity to move themselves up. As such, I found my every movement monitored, my every mistake catalogued. I ended getting fired because I was slightly late for work. Keep in mind, I've seen many other people, including myself, use vacation time to negate that. But instead, I got fired for it, after getting written up for a bunch of things that no one has ever been written up for before me. In other words, I had a vengeful coworker trying to get me fired by pointing out any small mistakes I made.

So, I guess if you're good at kissing up to managers, go work at DuPont, you'll do great. If you're someone that actually cares about your work and just wants to get things done, you'll get stepped on.

Du Pont is one of the leaders in the Chemical Industry. The motto that stuck with ALL workers is " SAFETY FIRST "- i.e. no job is that important or that vital that we have to compromise safety. Du Pont is well advanced , ahead of other Companies in Science , because of the emphases on Research and Development. All workers are encouraged to put in their best without undue pressure coming from anywhere, something similar to a honor program. Training is a very important aspect. If or when one is in doubt, all one needs to do is ask a colleague, Supervisor etc. Re-training will be provided if anyone needs it to make every worker feel confident and comfortable..

The hardest part of the job is trying to ensure that the job is always done right especially because of the Volume of products and the cost of any mistake a worker makes.This is more so particularly for the new employees who have not become that comfortable with the routine and the adjustments that may have to be made from day to day.

Du Pont pays well and the benefits are super. The welfare of the worker is paramount to the Company. With this assurance, workers are not reluctant to put in their best and that extra that may come up to make the Company the best in the Industry.

There was a level of complacency that thought the great discoveries of the past were going to magically happen again.  There was know direction and no will to see a program through.  This was clearly caused by a lack of communication between the business and R&D.  Also, there is a clear caste system between those with a PhD and those without.  New doctorates were immediately put into supervisory roles and promoted a an accelerated rate when very little credit and promotion is given to those that do the work under them.  Many Co-workers were more interested in making sure they got their check rather than trying to make a splash, create and innovate.  There was some great science available and the resources of the Experimental Station was amazing but at many times it went unused and people would literally sit around all day and wait for their day to be over.  Dynamic budgets would have staff literally stop doing their work halfway through the year and sit at their desks.  It was great to find such great resources and amazing experience over years but their lack of other industry experience shown right through.

I would say working here is okay. The pay isn’t that great for the work you’re doing. It does have the opportunity for overtime. My main dislike is that you’re almost always working with someone so if that person is working slow or not being productive, it could get you in trouble. They don’t care if you’re giving 100%, they’re just focused on production. The benefits & insurance isn’t that great. It’s a lot of inside favoritism that goes on behind the scenes &/or in management. You work a rotating 12 hour shift so it takes a toll on your body. You have alot of people who think they run the company or known everything just because they’ve been there for a nice amount of years. It’s a ok job as long as you do your work & go home without trying to make friends because they’ll always talk behind your back. Many people are the supervisor’s pet so they will throw you under the bus or say something for a reaction. Also, don’t look forward to them calling or checking if something ever happens to you. They’ll won’t do a courtesy call or do a welfare check whether you’re sick, injured, dead, etc., simply because they know your position can be filled at the snap of a finger. This isn’t the DuPont from 1990, a lot of rules have changed that aren’t in your favor. 

Job Work/Life Balance - If you have to work weekends, too bad, you've worked more than 40 hours so you don't get paid for the work you must complete on the weekends.

Compensation/Benefits - No benefits to speak of.  No retirement plan, no health insurance, no vacation time, no sick leave, no holiday pay.  And again, you do not get paid for work that must be done on the weekends.

Job Security - There is no job security in that you can and will be laid off at any time that strikes their fancy.  There is no job advancement.  You will be laid off after several years from the job you started with after getting pay cut after pay cut.

Management - Upper management is terrible.  They only care about the bottom line: lining their pockets with money.  They don't know anything about the work done on the line or which direction the work needs to move.  They even have the gall to wave their higher salary in your face and laugh about it.

Job Culture - They seem to devote a ridiculous amount of time and resources to promoting safety but it is not any safer working here than anywhere else.  It seemed like hard workers got nowhere in this company while brown-nosers and sycophants get bonuses.

Do not work here if you have an option to work elsewhere.  Only apply as a last resort.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Electrical & instrumentation inspector 8 salaries reported	$34.92 per hour
Mechanic 2 salaries reported	$27.75 per hour
Production technician 1 salary reported	$21.00 per hour
Area leader 1 salary reported	$125,000 per year
Unit manager 2 salaries reported	$157,500 per year

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