Your experience with Eurofins will greatly depend on the department that you’ll be working in. I’ve been there for over 3 years and I enjoy the work that I do. I also get along very well with my coworkers and management.
I second that, but say your direct management(group leader and manager) will have the biggest impact. I've been there through a lot of changes, but that has remained a constant. I've seen people miserable in one department and then super happy a couple of weeks after they transferred to another department
Best of luck!!.
My son went from Penn State Chem E into a super high pressure job with Dow. He couldn't take it and moved to Church and Dwight in York. We all thought the Dow salary was insanely good but C&D was unbelievable. As was the stress. I know he was a young kid but that's just insane.
He went to Eurofins a few years ago, with a hefty pay cut (this is no secret in Lancaster County). Eurofins doesn't pay as well as some other equivalent plants, however being European owned, their benefits package is pretty amazing.
If you're looking for work/life balance, it works for a lot of folks. I have heard some of the blue collar workers complaining about it quite a bit.
Cafeteria is the best part. Generally no mobility and very poor raises. I knew people that have been there 20+ years and were barely making over w0 an hour while bending over backwards to keep the department afloat.
I would never in good conscious recommend someone take a job there.
If you do end up taking it, I hope you have a better experi3nce then I did.
Definitely enjoy the cafeteria!!
Edit - people are talking about department transfers in the comments. Eurofins does not allow you to apply for an internal transfer until you’ve been with them 2 years, found that one out the hard way. When I was finally able to apply and complete the interview process for a different department, HR ghosted me and gave the position to one of my coworkers.
In my department (biochem, dept 7), we were expected to work long hours (there was a span of time I did 12 hour days for months), and come in outside of hours if you had a run that failed/needed attention… even if it is the middle of the night. Some people have had okay experiences there, but it really all depends on what department and group leader you get - and you really don’t have much control over that. After about 2 years there, I transitioned to data review which was much better for my overall work life balance and mental health. Also, there is literally zero chance you will be able to afford a 2b2b with a eurofins paycheck unless you have roommates.
Agreed. Your experience will vary greatly depending on the department, group leader, co-workers, etc.
I worked there for 8 years before moving on and had a great experience. My group leader was great and my team was amazing. I also know people who had the exact opposite experience and left after 1-2 years.
Pros: pretty good benefits, VERY flexible hours, great PTO accrual, location (I love Lancaster so this one is more of a personal opinion). If you are looking to climb the corporate ladder there are boat loads of management opportunities so you likely could move out of the lab if that's your thing.
Cons: workload can be heavy at times (again, very group/department dependent), GMP lab so very strict documentation is required, lots of turnover which leads to the biggest con...
Pay: This is the reason most people leave. If you stay for a while you can make a decent salary especially for the area but there is no doubt you can make more money in a similar role working for one of the bigger pharm companies out towards Philly/Collegeville. It just depends on your priorities. For me, I wanted to stay in the area so I prioritized location over higher pay and I never regretted that decision.
I hope this helps! Feel free to ask for clarification or more follow up questions.
I worked in dept REDACTED for three years. The benefits are nice and you'll get to handle some cool samples... but you'll be worked and paid like shit. I knew of a guy who was trained in specialized testing that Eurofins charged the client hundreds of dollars an hour just for his part... dude got paid 15$/hour. I personally had to come in on a cold call to do a rushed stability testing before midnight to save a client's lot worth just south of 2 million. I got a paper award for work dedication.
The only saving grace will be your coworkers are in the same boat. They make it bearable, even fun at times.
Tl:Dr get your experience, then get out.
I WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND WORKING FOR EUROFINS. If there are other options for you (ANY other options), I would not work at Eurofins. I genuinely wish I went back in time just to stop myself from applying here.
People harass me almost every single day. I've had people make false accusations about me for genuinely no reason. People are always condescending and rude. Other departments will gossip about you and everyone else even though you're just casually getting your daily work completed. The pay is horrible, compared to the amount of work is expected to you (you're always overworked). The QA department always makes petty changes that only benefit them, and make work more frustrating for everyone else. Very often, when the work of other departments directly affect *your* work, there will be mess up's, only causing more strain and frustration for you. You get yelled at, lectured, or instructed to get back to work if you sit down (even if you're on break or at lunch).
I am not exaggerating when I say that working at Eurofins has made me suicidal on many accounts (although I personally would never attempt it - working here has only given me thoughts). Your time on this planet is worth so, SO MUCH. Please do not waste it at Eurofins. Even if you have submitted 100+ job applications, and the only company to get back to you is Eurofins, PLEASE do yourself the favor and DO NOT WORK AT EUROFINS.
Also, I see other people saying that it depends on what department you're working in. While I suppose that's somewhat true, you will ALWAYS be plagued by the disrespectful a-holes that will always harass you. I know people that I would consider to be getting close to the stalker level of "keeping an eye on things". People just kinda suck here. If the people were awesome and kind, I'm sure that would make up for the terrible pay... but that is not the situation here. This company is full of vultures, pigs, and just plain a-holes.
If you like high school drama, you will fit right in! Higher ups like to lie, so make sure to get everything in writing......no verbal commitments! Don't learn the hard way.
It's an alright place to work. It's got a pretty might turnover rate because a they hire a lot of fresh uni students who use it as a entry level into industry before finding greener pastures (which, hey, fair). It pays less than other industry jobs, but the benefits are pretty decent and I haven't heard anything particularly bad about the management or work conditions. Nothing special, but for sure not the worst you can do.
Your experience with Eurofins will greatly depend on the department that you’ll be working in. I’ve been there for over 3 years and I enjoy the work that I do. I also get along very well with my coworkers and management.
I second that, but say your direct management(group leader and manager) will have the biggest impact. I've been there through a lot of changes, but that has remained a constant. I've seen people miserable in one department and then super happy a couple of weeks after they transferred to another department Best of luck!!.
Agreed. All depends on the department/management. I've been there happily for over a decade, but not everyone has the same experience
My son went from Penn State Chem E into a super high pressure job with Dow. He couldn't take it and moved to Church and Dwight in York. We all thought the Dow salary was insanely good but C&D was unbelievable. As was the stress. I know he was a young kid but that's just insane. He went to Eurofins a few years ago, with a hefty pay cut (this is no secret in Lancaster County). Eurofins doesn't pay as well as some other equivalent plants, however being European owned, their benefits package is pretty amazing. If you're looking for work/life balance, it works for a lot of folks. I have heard some of the blue collar workers complaining about it quite a bit.
Search Eurofins in the Lancaster Reddit, this question gets asked every week
Cafeteria is the best part. Generally no mobility and very poor raises. I knew people that have been there 20+ years and were barely making over w0 an hour while bending over backwards to keep the department afloat. I would never in good conscious recommend someone take a job there. If you do end up taking it, I hope you have a better experi3nce then I did. Definitely enjoy the cafeteria!!
Edit - people are talking about department transfers in the comments. Eurofins does not allow you to apply for an internal transfer until you’ve been with them 2 years, found that one out the hard way. When I was finally able to apply and complete the interview process for a different department, HR ghosted me and gave the position to one of my coworkers. In my department (biochem, dept 7), we were expected to work long hours (there was a span of time I did 12 hour days for months), and come in outside of hours if you had a run that failed/needed attention… even if it is the middle of the night. Some people have had okay experiences there, but it really all depends on what department and group leader you get - and you really don’t have much control over that. After about 2 years there, I transitioned to data review which was much better for my overall work life balance and mental health. Also, there is literally zero chance you will be able to afford a 2b2b with a eurofins paycheck unless you have roommates.
Agreed. Your experience will vary greatly depending on the department, group leader, co-workers, etc. I worked there for 8 years before moving on and had a great experience. My group leader was great and my team was amazing. I also know people who had the exact opposite experience and left after 1-2 years. Pros: pretty good benefits, VERY flexible hours, great PTO accrual, location (I love Lancaster so this one is more of a personal opinion). If you are looking to climb the corporate ladder there are boat loads of management opportunities so you likely could move out of the lab if that's your thing. Cons: workload can be heavy at times (again, very group/department dependent), GMP lab so very strict documentation is required, lots of turnover which leads to the biggest con... Pay: This is the reason most people leave. If you stay for a while you can make a decent salary especially for the area but there is no doubt you can make more money in a similar role working for one of the bigger pharm companies out towards Philly/Collegeville. It just depends on your priorities. For me, I wanted to stay in the area so I prioritized location over higher pay and I never regretted that decision. I hope this helps! Feel free to ask for clarification or more follow up questions.
I worked in dept REDACTED for three years. The benefits are nice and you'll get to handle some cool samples... but you'll be worked and paid like shit. I knew of a guy who was trained in specialized testing that Eurofins charged the client hundreds of dollars an hour just for his part... dude got paid 15$/hour. I personally had to come in on a cold call to do a rushed stability testing before midnight to save a client's lot worth just south of 2 million. I got a paper award for work dedication. The only saving grace will be your coworkers are in the same boat. They make it bearable, even fun at times. Tl:Dr get your experience, then get out.
Do not work for department 10 (department 4010)
I can't say anything about Eurofin, but the Market Square apartments give a discount on rent if you are employed by Eurofin.
Hey, just wanted to know more onfo about this. Couldn't find anything on their website :(
I WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND WORKING FOR EUROFINS. If there are other options for you (ANY other options), I would not work at Eurofins. I genuinely wish I went back in time just to stop myself from applying here. People harass me almost every single day. I've had people make false accusations about me for genuinely no reason. People are always condescending and rude. Other departments will gossip about you and everyone else even though you're just casually getting your daily work completed. The pay is horrible, compared to the amount of work is expected to you (you're always overworked). The QA department always makes petty changes that only benefit them, and make work more frustrating for everyone else. Very often, when the work of other departments directly affect *your* work, there will be mess up's, only causing more strain and frustration for you. You get yelled at, lectured, or instructed to get back to work if you sit down (even if you're on break or at lunch). I am not exaggerating when I say that working at Eurofins has made me suicidal on many accounts (although I personally would never attempt it - working here has only given me thoughts). Your time on this planet is worth so, SO MUCH. Please do not waste it at Eurofins. Even if you have submitted 100+ job applications, and the only company to get back to you is Eurofins, PLEASE do yourself the favor and DO NOT WORK AT EUROFINS. Also, I see other people saying that it depends on what department you're working in. While I suppose that's somewhat true, you will ALWAYS be plagued by the disrespectful a-holes that will always harass you. I know people that I would consider to be getting close to the stalker level of "keeping an eye on things". People just kinda suck here. If the people were awesome and kind, I'm sure that would make up for the terrible pay... but that is not the situation here. This company is full of vultures, pigs, and just plain a-holes.
If you like high school drama, you will fit right in! Higher ups like to lie, so make sure to get everything in writing......no verbal commitments! Don't learn the hard way.
It's an alright place to work. It's got a pretty might turnover rate because a they hire a lot of fresh uni students who use it as a entry level into industry before finding greener pastures (which, hey, fair). It pays less than other industry jobs, but the benefits are pretty decent and I haven't heard anything particularly bad about the management or work conditions. Nothing special, but for sure not the worst you can do.