Indesso

Pros: For a Product Development Scientist, there's a chance to learn new things, especially if you're proactive. You can pick up a lot about the flavor and fragrance industry by working on different projects. They don't actively block internal moves if you find an opening.
Cons: Career progression isn't clearly defined here, so you really have to advocate for yourself. There isn't much formal training or mentorship for moving up. It's easy to get stuck in a particular role if you don't actively seek change.
Advice to Management: Improve the formal career pathing and introduce more structured training programs. A clearer path for junior staff to become senior would help a lot with retention and motivation in our Jakarta office.

Pros: The base salary for a junior R&D Scientist was actually pretty solid, especially for the Jakarta office. You get paid on time, which isn't always a given in chemical manufacturing.
Cons: It's tough to get good raises here; they don't seem to keep up with inflation. The benefits package, things like health insurance and retirement, felt pretty basic compared to other established corporate companies. There's not much in terms of bonuses either, which is a bummer.
Advice to Management: Management really needs to look at the overall compensation structure, especially for experienced R&D roles. Boosting the benefits and offering more competitive annual raises would make a huge difference in retaining talent within the flavors and fragrances industry.