production technician

senior material handler

senior assembler

field engineer

maintenance technician

bioMerieux

What is the best part of working at the company?
There was a lot to do and it was plenty busy.   A lot of the core systems were complete and we were able to be efficient in our tasks. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
At times we were left alone on an island.  There's a lot of layers of management and they say they want different things, doing one thing for one manager gets you in trouble with other managers.  If there was a doubt, I'd go to a manager and do what they wanted.  They took going to the manager of ambiguities as a weakness.  There's a lot of accusation of things going on and even with evidence they wouldn't believe you.  There wasn't really onboarding and there wasn't ongoing training that there was time for.  A lot of the work to improve had to be done outside of work.   I lost my employment over misspelling and correcting a work within 2 minutes of making the error and only one person ever say it.   The word was being used because it was on a WID and there was no official training documentation.   They have improvement boards, but putting anything on them resulted in direct attacks by management.  There's plenty of room for improvement at any job, seeking it within the regulations and rules on non-oversighted tasks.  

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Just lots of management layers.  It's like most heavily regulated things, there's rules and you do your best to follow them.  Several employees crashed out and left under very extreme circumstances.  They even heightened security over one incident.  

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Go in, read news and emails, check out the current lab state and review things, have a quick meeting with a shift lead.  Perform the tasks as efficiently as possible double and triple checking every step along the way.  The machines were error prone so there was a lot of checking to make sure that they worked well.  Temperatures would get pretty hot.  We would do rotations so what you did depended on the day.  Usually after lunch there would be a discussion with the shift lead about the state of the day and we were told to set recommendations and goals in this discussion.   Then at the end of the shift we would do documentation, review any changes that day, send out notifications, and cleanup.

Biomeriux is a company that provides amazing benefits as well as a 5$ allowance that can be used in their in-house cafeterias for lunch. You're given 160 hours of PTO when you first start with a 40 hour bump every 5 years. 

I cannot speak for the administrative side of the company, as I've spent my entire time here working in the quality control department. 

The quality control department from a worker's perspective is run chaotically where you will receive mixed messages on taking your time to ensure the quality of your work as well as pressure to hurry and work harder to meet production needs. However, you'll still be left in the dark because you, as a worker, will be uncertain where new rules, new regulations, new practices, etc. are actually coming from. Management will always tell you "this is what we're doing now" on a very literal daily basis. 

To become a technologist you are required to have some form of formal education, but that formal education will be written off when you attempt to give any form of ideas or feedback to those in positions of power. 

Also, this is a laboratory setting that runs multiplex PCR products, in which the red space DOES NOT have a negative airflow. If there's amplicon in the red airspace, it is definitely being blasted through the windows and doors everytime there's an opening. 

Which brings me to contamination practices. These practices are written into their standard operating procedures, but when asked about the efficacy of these practices or where they came from, you'll eventually run into either a shoulder shrug, "I don't know," or everyone's favorite - "just do it." 

Because regardless of your experience, education, etc. if you're not best friends with someone in a position of power, you're an easily replaceable set of "hands" not a thinking, breathing human being - and they'll let you know. 

12 hour graveyard shifts are hard on anyone. Their production based decisions are seemingly made by an oil tycoon from the 1910s and seems to think that simply telling people to work the whole time and work more and work harder is the answer. They will never know, or maybe, they will never have the courage to face the fact that it might actually be an organizational issue. 

The banana bread from Thomas Cuisine earns this place another star. 

As a whole, bioMerieux is a good place to work.  The benefits are really good, and the Vitality program is a wonderful extra incentive that can go toward lowering what you pay for health insurance and other benefits.  However, workplace culture and experience really depends on what department you're working in. 

When I worked there, I was in Media Production.  The job description said that 1 year of wet chemistry experience was required, as well as a college degree in the sciences.  Those are OVERKILL requirements.  Nothing about what is done in that department is scientific.  It's literally a glorified factory environment thinly disguised as a laboratory.  The hours are long (when I left, they had bumped the shifts from 10 to 12 hours), and the days start early at 4:00 am.  You are not allowed to sit if you're working on the bench.  Lunch breaks were trimmed back to 30 minutes.  Sure, we got 3 15-minute breaks in between, but for a 10-12 hour shift, that doesn't make much difference.  If you wanted time off, you had to put it in way in advance because there was a max of 2 people who could be out on a single day.  Overtime was "voluntary/mandatory," which meant if you didn't put in overtime after a certain duration, you were required to come in.  The upper managers insisted that what production does is important (in their defense, it definitely is), but all they gave us were words.  No increase in bonus, no increase in pay, nothing.  Just an increase in hours.  Most of the Group Leads are attentive and will do their best to work with you, but even they're tied to an extent.

However, if you can get into departments such as QC, Validations, R&D, or Clinical, you will be much happier.  They work regular hours, and their work is more science-based than Production.  And overall, it's a good company that does good work and makes very useful products and instruments.  Just avoid Production if you don't want a factory job and want a scientific position.

A typical day at work in the media production lab consisted of performing operator or observer duties in the preparation of media used in medical technology devices.

Aside from being more labor intensive than one would expect of a process technician position the job was relatively simple. You are not likely to be using any of the skills acquired in the media production lab in any other pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity. I would doubt that a college degree would even be required to work in that media lab department.

The management was clueless. The management did not know how to run the department so pretty much acted on the leeds given them by overly ambitious and incompetent subordinates. I may be repeating myself in saying that the co-workers were not of a professional or intellectual caliber. Procedures would only be enforced if you were not one to stroke the egoes of the insecure supervisors or if the supervisors feared that you would do a better job of adding value to the department than they themselves.

Again, the job was relatively simple. It required more physical stamina than mental prowess. The hardest part of the job was having to deal with the fact that there would not be opportunities for advancement. As the shift support leads and supervisors suffered from job insecurity, they were always on the lookout for those approaching fast from the rear. The reason for the high turnover rate in the media lab department is the release of highly qualified employees by lesser qualified management. The only way to advance was if the supervisors and managers were promoted. And they don't appear to be going anywhere.

The most enjoyable part of the job was going home.

TL:DR If you just want decent benefits and don't mind super monotonous work and the corporate overlords treating you like garbage, go for it.

Working production here is as monotonous as you'd expect same repetitive work all day, 12hr shifts so work weeks are just work, sleep, repeat.  Management views you as a number, if issues arise they do not work with you on anything outside of what's mandated by law otherwise they do not care at all for their employees.  The culture in the production areas used to be great but ever since covid/24hr operation took effect it's abysmal at best.  The benefits are pretty good but tend to be outweighed by the fact the job sucks in pretty much all facets.  Promotions are hard to come by and 7 times out of 10 it makes zero sense how they decide to promote (i.e you're told it's an attendance issue when the person who received the position has the worst attendance of anyone considered) .  Management pretends to care what the employees want by doing these surveys on how they should make big changes.  Over the 5 years I was there not once did they implement what the employees wanted in the survey, opting to instead make things worse for everyone they manage.  The hardest part of the job is two fold, extreme monotony and if you're ambitious promotion potential is low even with all the growth.  The enjoyable part of the job is some of the people still working there, though with how fast they're losing people this is probably no longer true.

Overall Biomerieux is a good company to work for. Be careful of the department that you choose to work in. A lot of drama and immature coworkers. There is room for advancement within departments or to transfer to other departments.  You just can’t let’s others that create trouble for no reason drag you down with them. Attendance and being on time for work is very important.  There are a lot of immature adults that can be difficult to work with. People clique up and label you as mean or antisocial if you choose not to hang with them or act like they think you should act. You have to have tuff skin to work in Card Production. The full time employees will try to give Temporary workers a hard time. If you are looking to get on permanent stay to yourself and don’t let anyone know that you are looking to get hired. Avoid engaging in small talk. It almost always ends in someone getting mad at you fo no reason or you getting into an argument. Remember what you are there for. Coworkers are not your friends. They will just try to get personal info out of you so they can gossip about you. None of the work is hard at all. The hard part is working in a group to get the job done. That’s why I said be careful the department choose. Usually if a supervisor see that you are a good worker they will come to you anyway and ask you to put in an application. Good luck!

The work is very repetitive! long weekends are nice but I always dreaded going back.  As a quiet/reserved person that wouldn’t be as much of a problem if it weren’t for the gossip/drama caused by others and it was mostly older women/leads which was so unprofessional .  I think people are just so bored that they look for any way to add entertainment it was ridiculous . Even if you do try and keep to yourself it’s kinda hard to considering you’re in close proximity to coworkers the whole day, so you might just come off as rude to others when you’re just minding your own business. Most people would say the manager was horrible but I never had an issue. Management is good as long as you’re not looking for problems. You get to listen to music but it can be so loud sometimes like at a concert blaring so loudly. Another thing that I did not like was that there is no ability to choose your own schedule, so you’re forced to work 12s.Three 12 hour shifts were hard enough but then four days with mandatory overtime on a Saturday were exhausting. I will say that it’s a good place to get your money up so it’s good for the summer or just temporary but would not recommend long term. Also, due to repetitive motions you will be sore or in pain! I do like that it has a good mission which is helping others, but sadly the drama and long hours turned me away. 

This is not the company to work for if you are an experienced professional.  You'll be truly disappointed at what you find upon your first day and each day thereafter.  Manager roles do not mean much more than being a low man on the totem pole.  There is no management support.  This is confirmed by numerous employees across numerous departments.

HR seems to be on top of any issues, yet many of the issues start with what they tell you prior to hire and turns out to not be true.  And, they will not support what they've told you or work together to present a positive outcome.

Directors  and Sr Managers are not knowledgeable in the area of what they are responsible.  They will not rely upon this in their teams who are knowledgable, those who are clearly knowledgable are shown disregard.  Passing the buck seems to be the status quo from department to department,  VERY siloized organization.  No departmental collaboration or cross departmental collaboration.  Covering up faults and ignoring issues seems to be the way of the company.

The lack of continuous improve to across tenured employees is rampant.  Don't expect to make any positive moves.  Data is not available.  Gaining system access takes months.

What is the best part of working at the company?
The free lunch every day if you go to the office and since they are French owned, you can take more time off and they won’t figure it out

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The US leadership team works you to death akd many are not even living in salt lake.  They also fire leaders randomly if a long term employee complains about them.  HR is weaponized and very unprofessional….they throw process to the wall on a whim.   Lastly, the French org has final decision….you won’t realize it, but at any time they can veto your initiative and leave you high and dry….no reason given for pulling investment or change of decision 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Very hard pressed on the American side, and very political on the French side.  You can work your heart out and, at any time, the French leadership team can pull the rig out from under you.  And the US SVP,HR will always side with the french and will throw you under the bus in an instant 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Hard work, many hours, and European time zones.  Poor at setting goals, but will hold you accountable via retribution if you don’t follow French leadership team direction.

Even if you work hard to learn everything there is and show determination to grow as an employee, your advancement is heavily based on whether or not you are liked by management. Most people spend will spend 5-10 years in entry level positions because there is nowhere to go in the company. Even with in-department promotions to team lead, it is near impossible to change departments; let alone get an actual promotion. I've had coworkers work with their manager to build a role for them only to see it given away to someone else. Most people stay because the benefits are so great: top notch health insurance that you can get for free through the Vitality app they use, decent compensation, a cafe on-site and $5 stipend to spend as you please every day. 
Management was hired because of their ability to "manage people" and yet every department with a new manager has major complaints about their inability to lead. They prefer to be petty to teach employees a lesson. The entire experience of working there was like reliving middle school. The company has zero desire to put out actually decent product and has been firing people all year to aid with expenses. 
If you peaked in high school, this is the company for you. 
If you value your mental health or want to grow in your career, look elsewhere.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Production technician 85 salaries reported	$18.50 per hour
Senior material handler 63 salaries reported	$17.50 per hour
Senior assembler 71 salaries reported	$19.00 per hour
Field engineer 62 salaries reported	$39.45 per hour
Maintenance technician 42 salaries reported	$34.11 per hour

Working at bioMerieux: Company Overview and Reviews

bioMerieux

bioMerieux Ratings

Popular jobs at bioMerieux

Salary Satisfaction

Job Seeker Tools

Employer Tools

Browse

Stay Connected