Constant Rolling Layoffs - Principal Software Engineer Moderna Employee Review

Great work culture, people are hard-working and responsive.

No benefits as a contractor (no PTO, stock)

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Management feels chaotic, with frequent reorganizations that make it difficult to execute long-term initiatives. The company appears to value presentation skills and positive messaging over measurable execution. Employees who consistently solve difficult problems and deliver results are not always recognized as leaders, while those who excel at creating polished presentations and reframing challenges as successes seem to have better promotion opportunities. Science and technology are often managed as operational functions rather than innovation-driven disciplines. Strategic decisions would benefit from greater technical understanding from leadership, especially when setting direction for engineering and scientific teams. Too often, a "fake it till you make it" approach seems to be rewarded over genuine expertise and execution.