Know what you're getting into, get your full worth day 1, have an exit plan. - Lead Mechanical Engineer Biofire Employee Review

2.0
6 Nov 2019
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

1. Unlimited time off* (*pending conditional approval with 14 day notice and that you aren't in the critical path. Expect to have to work during vacations or end it early. Also note in this structure, you can't sell vacation days to the company) 2. Flexible work hours, so you can run errands or go to appointments as needed. 3. Cool Project 4. Generally, lots of learning opportunities in your work since you have to wear so many hats. 5. A couple of great team members*. (*Cannot vouch for current team, no team member has lasted 2 years at writing). 6. Contractually obligated to work only 30 hours/week

Cons

1. An inexperienced CEO with poor communication/leadership skills that puts the team last. 2. Long Hours!* Slow periods average 50-60 hours. Month(s) long sprints average 80-100 hour work weeks. There is no overtime pay and the long hours are not optional and driven by the company's culture and management *only applies to Product team memebers. Operations team members work ~30 hours/week. You 3. CEO restricts information distribution (like knowing if you've run out of money) and holds all decision making power. Do not expect to be able to make decisions on your work, just recommend decisions. Do not expect to be in the loop on other parts of the company nor company direction. 4. No Promotions. The CEO doesn't see any value in accurate titles of employees relative to their responsibilities. Rather, he likes generic and low rank titles to ensure you will do any work he asks of you. 5. No Raises/Bonuses*. You can be told several times that you deserve a raise and that your work quality/amount is top notch and greatly appreciated, but external reasons prevent a raise. In my case it was the CEO's inability to fundraise. In the case of the next major milestone, I expect raises will be frozen until a product is manufactured and shipped. (*CEO received raises/bonuses)

Explore other reviews about Biofire

5.0
12 Dec 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The team here is really skilled and highly analytical.

Cons

Not a lot of guidance or training provided. Expected to hit the ground running fast.

4.0
28 May 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Working as a recruiter at Biofire for 3.5 years has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. The team here is genuinely exceptional - filled with brilliant, kind-hearted people who are passionate about what they do. There's an authentic sense of camaraderie and mutual respect that makes logging online each morning enjoyable, no Sunday scaries here imo. What sets Biofire apart is the meaningful nature of the work. Knowing that their product is directly saving lives adds a profound sense of purpose to everything we do. It's not often you get to work somewhere where your daily efforts contribute to such important outcomes. The management and leadership team are outstanding. They provide clear direction while giving employees the autonomy to excel in their roles. Leaders are approachable, supportive, and genuinely invested in both the company's success and their team members' professional growth. The company has done an excellent job building out structured processes that work, but they maintain the flexibility to adapt and improve when necessary. This balance between structure and agility is refreshing and allows for continuous improvement without bureaucratic rigidity (for the most part). As a recruiter, I particularly appreciated the well-designed interview process. It's thorough and thoughtfully constructed to accurately assess whether candidates can genuinely perform the role, which makes my job more effective and ensures we're bringing in the right talent. In terms of growth, my tenure at Biofire opened up endless doors and opportunities for me personally. Highlights include: team, culture, benefits + compensation, meaningful & impactful with with some ownership and autonomy.

Cons

Honestly, it's difficult to find significant drawbacks. The high standards and meaningful work can create pressure, but it's the kind of pressure that pushes you to grow professionally.

1
See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All