Pros
Learned a lot here about consulting, management, and grant writing. Also received many leadership opportunities, received mentorship from my specific supervisor, and experienced growth in my career.
Cons
Extreme burn out, silo-d departments, competitive, and deeply racist. The people who seem most likely to be successful at the organization are white and raised in small rural towns or out-of-state. People of color need to assimilate and/or compartmentalize in order to survive. Decisionmaking is uneven and reliance on grants means job stability is often threatened even when there is an abundance of funds. Many people of color (especially those born in the U.S. and not foreign born) last about 4-5 years before being used and burned out. They cycle through the communities they study the most (e.g., Southeast Asian and African immigrant communities) but are unable to retain these staff due to both implicit and explicit racism. Turnover is high. The culture is "Othering" and White as well as invasive and passive-aggressive. Wilder Research's work has an okay reputation in local applied contexts, but is looked down on in academia for a poor grasp of theory and a lack of rigor.