Be very carefull and stay out, as a professional scientist you will net get into a normal company, you are not allowed to be critical with new ideas and just have to follow all the fools there so stay out as an advice from a professional.

This Randox thread has got to be one of the longest on the board. I'm still convinced that it represents their sole marketing campaign, as they sure aren't selling any product to the labs.

By going through the comments listed here I am very much shocked as I got an interview for a Scientist position tomorrow. I am not sure what to do at present.

Do Randox products actually work? I've heard mixed feedback about their instruments.

http://forms.employmenttribunalsni.co.uk/OITFET_IWS/(52sqkz55xnbv3ticdcd5acnz)/OnlineDecisionDocument2.aspx

By all means try the interview. You could ask them as a salesperson how they deal with faulty machines returning from customers and how they deal with technical issues. The company deserves a Boycott by ANY serious person with ANY glimmer of professionalism.

Of course you should go to the interview. Randox could be the worst company in the industry (or not), but whatever they are, it is still a good experience and practice to have an interview ... any interview. Ask all the questions you need to ask, but do it diplomatically and tactfully just in case you do like what you see and really want the job. One way to learn alot about a company is to politely challenge them during an interview. A good company will see that as a sign of an independent mind and encourage it; a bad company won't like it, but they again, who wants to work for a bad company.

Hi, seems there aren't too many happy poeple from Randox.
I have an interview with them tomorrow regarding a sales role. Should I bother going?

Avoid Randox like the plague

Hi, did anyone do the science internship in Crumlin, Northern Ireland? I'm due to interview with them but came across this site and am kind of worried! I'd have to completely relocate and don't seem up to this if I'm going to be miserable and having to pay training fees. I'm a graduate straight out of college and I have no industrial experience so thought this sounded like a good fit... until I came to this site!! Please help!

Yes, firstly ask for a breakdown of the costs. You'll see how ridiculous they are. Query them, challenge them and if necessary use a lawyer. Most cases i've geard of the fees have been reduced/dropped.

seems training cost is a problem, any solution?

Ended up not having to pay any training costs as I was on placement :D

I never worked in a more horrible atmosphere in my life! Constantly watched, yet judged not by your work but by stories reported by a gardener. If ever a place needed a union to fight for basic employee rights, this is the place! If you speak up at all, life is made unbearable for you!

That's unbelievable...but reeks of Randox al-right. About the training costs, I got hit for 800 odd quid, you'll have to pay something back...as they have it all the legal shit wrapped up.
What you can easily dispute is quality of training received doesn't merit costs (powerpoints etc). Especially if you enter the company with post-grad qualifications or high level of experience for the post. I disputed the amount of supervisors time given to train me...which was no where near the amount stated on contract, and is how they calculate what you owe. Also they include an admin fee, which according to the solicitor was a load of wank. So long story short, one phone call from solicitor (I was present when they rang)which they were not expecting, and caught their guy off guard, more than halved the costs I 'owe'. I only wish the initial amount I offered had have been lower

Dungloe is a decent place to work, the staff are friendly and more of a unit than in other sites.

Randox is the worst place I have ever worked. I would not even work at it for x10 the wadges. Everyone that works there is f**cking brain washed! Felt like being back in school, not alowed to talk, being watched like big brother. It is a shit hole! A barn! An actuall barn on a farm.. Done up well inside.
I was sacked as I had taken a week off due to medical resons resulting going for surgery that week. I was not allowed to come to the premises and my belongings in my desk was to be posted out to me. Not to mention the hundreds of £ worth for so called training! It was a powerpoint about crap all. I swear I truely feel sorry for the people still there but I laugh at them for being crazy stupid. I would rather clean toilets than work in randox. After being unemployed 7months until I got a new job after randox, I am the happest I have ever been! :D

Made the great escape :)

Randox are a disgrace and only get away with it because
because Almac are the only other option in NI.
Both pay pathetic wages as a result.
The 'brain drain' from our otherwise fine wee country
has the secondary follow on effect that the crap that's left behind
to fill the higher positions actually think they are something because they've 'made it'
No, if you were any good you wouldn't be there. You would HAVE to
get out because if you were any good you couldn't take being
surrounded by such shite.
Same goes for anyone from outside NI who's gone there. They wouldn't be there if they were any good. Academia very included.
None of this excuses the public money Randox keep getting.
InvestNI is understandable unfortunately, as its also staffed by
the crap that's left behind, but I saw the MRC funded
a project Randox is involved in a while ago.
That shouldn't happen.

Shit is an understatement. It's full of politics, people passing blame, covering their own back and dodging responsibility. But who can blame them? It's all in a day's work to avoid the attention of that paranoid little man at the top.

Its Shit

Hi guys...these responses are really hard to believe, i am currenty thinking of applying to Randox but i am not so sure now. There seems to be very similar positions regularly advertised, a current employee told me they put out a generic ad such as the business development executive position to see what calibre of people this attracts, any truth in this, or is staff turnover so bad they have to keep readvertising the position. Also does anyone have any experience of this role and what salary is offered. I also understand there has been some changes in the senior management (minus one SF?) have things improved any?
The company appears to be doing very well and expanding in to a number of international markets, its hard to see how this growth is supported by such a disengaged workforce. I look forward to your reply....would be nice to get a positive perspective on the company if it exists.

I worked for Randox in R&D for 5 months, within 3months there I was applying frantically for new jobs. The place is a joke, firstly its essentially a glorified barn in the middle of no where. Customers must be shocked. The lab facilities are small and out-dated. The atmosphere is oppressive, reinforces other posts..constantly looking over your shoulder and a lot of people are clearly out for themselves. So watch what you say!Management is direction-less, vague and clueless, and will not hesitate to pin mistakes due to their lack of knowledge on you at appraisals or meetings. A Randox 'secret'- they expect you to work longer than your contracted hours to show 'enthusiasm' and 'interest'. I was pulled for having clocked 40 hours 2min one week (contracted 40 hours per week)as I was clock watching apparently. No trust in employees. At least 2 people left in my time there. Another 2 were fired and escorted of premises for not meeting expectations..even though a month before, deemed competent at an appraisal. I've been hit with £800 training costs as i left - which I want them to breakdown and explain. A weeks worth of power-point presentations does not justify this
I have a great job now, I love it. If your stuck there my advice is every night hit the job applications hard (its shit but do it). Been offered an interview? - do not attend.
Ps they don't even give a job reference (company policy)

Oh dear... I applied for a job (great CV with 14 years experience in Global IT companies). Randox called me back ASAP and said they really wanted me to interview ASAP (like the next day).

Now after reading this blog and some other articles (especially the ones on BBC about tribunals - that cant be denied)...I fear that I may have gotten out of jail free.

There is no smoke without fire people.

Unfortunately for Northern Ireland, there are not many other places to go outside of Belfast/Derry. Randox is one of them and it is a shame that the place is run like it is.

A company should be open and challenging and embrace employees new ideas and improvements, not a place where you are shot down at every opportunity.

I will not be attending my interview.

what do you know, rumor mill people are determined to say things are bad. this website is just the worst.

Randox are NOT great. Period. Anything and everything that has been posted here is meaningless detail meant to support or deny the truth.

I repeat

Randox are NOT great. Period

They are not even good.

Any other descriptive words would get my post flagged, but you all know the words.

Dungloe is slighty better, no Gastapo watching your every move, but this is still Randox..need I say more!

9.2m£ of public money - that what keeps this sh..t hole functioning.
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/business/local-businesses/163-9-2m-inve...

"things can be a little old fashioned" Mr Gradgrind meets Scrooge.

"If a few people didnt take advantage then there would be no need for strict rules but people do and therefore one must."
It is the employer who is taking advantage: IT wages are maybe 25% below the market rate. 18 out of 20 in my induction group left in 18 months

"Remember while companies are closing randox is expanding and that's because when people are there they are working without distraction" (Facebook, reading the news, long lunches, starting at 10am - all sackable offences in my book)"
Those things happen less commonly at Randox than with other employers (CCTV, clocking in, CEO sitting in the canteen) and efficiency in R&D i hopeless: projects which never get finished, breakups with investment partners due to unmet deadlines.
Randox R&D is not expanding: they get "job creation" grants from InvestNI and evidently don't tell anyone that they only stay 6 months

"and the products they supply work extremely well."
Defective machines with dubious testing and reliability

"A scientific company thrives on team work and geniuses who fail to communicate is money going to waste." People who coast along should be sacked, just good business sense.
Randox is a good company, people just expect something for nothing nowadays.
Randox has sacked and made uncomfortable the competent ones: the ones who stay are the duds, hardly geniuses, dodgy sycophants, that come out with all the old cliches

Suck it up people we are in a recession.........people need to get perspective on what 's important

Suck it up yourself: Randox needs to get a perspective on normal human psychology. It's a bl***y freak show for the paranoid

A happy employee: Troll

How long have you worked at Randox

Hi, I feel that these comments are unfair. I have worked for many different companies and the only problem I see is that some things can be a little old fashioned. If a few people didnt take advantage then there would be no need for strict rules but people do and therefore one must. Remember while companies are closing randox is expanding and that's because when people are there they are working without distraction (Facebook, reading the news, long lunches, starting at 10am - all sackable offences in my book) and the products they supply work extremel well. A scientific company thrives on team work and geniuses who fail to communicate is money going to waste. People who coast along should be sacked, just good business sense.
Randox is a good company, people just expect something for nothing nowadays.

Suck it up people we are in a recession.........people need to get perspective on what 's important

A happy employee

SF has gone but now GK is on the block as Peter's new skivvy barking orders, pretending he knows what hes talking about!

SF's ass was great...her credentials as a manager were what comes out of an ass. JG you are next, you think you are immune? Pfffft wise up. Maybe the engineers might get some peace to work now that SF is gone but i doubt it!What an absolute shithole...

Wank! That is all......

I am sure he does His thinking is sick.

Some day ?????????

2-3 every year.
As Dr Fitzgerald said "There are things we feel that are far more pertinent to improving business in Northern Ireland - such as industrial tribunals. Employment law is a disincentive to employ, it is very draconian, inefficient and misplaced. Even though you might only have the odd case each year, we feel it is a disincentive to employ. It doesn't allow us the flexibility of employment that we should have. If we were to leave Northern Ireland it would be because of employment law more than anything else."

So if only he could - he'd make conditions even worst, it seems that he feels it's a great pity that the law stops him...

How many industrial tribunal cases do they have pending?

The usual practise is penalising engineers who wants to leave through the training costs. They have put it in the contract that the training costs are 15% of your annual salary, and even though the trainings are paid by the Irish government - they still deduct 1000-2000euros from your last salary if you decide to give them a month notice (leave legally).
After that you can obviously may go to court, but illegal deduction of salary cannot be charged for any damages apart from the money owed and will take a year or two to get sorted.
People usually break the contract and leave the company unexpectedly after being paid.
Turnover of stuff is about 60% a year.

For everyone in packing, good luck!!!

Compulsory overtime

Can an employee be forced to work overtime?

Employees only have to work overtime if their contract says so.

Even if it does, by law, they can’t usually be forced to work more than an average of 48 hours per week. An employee can agree to work longer - but this agreement must be in writing and signed by them.

Hi,
I have just sent my C.V to the Randox branch in Dungloe. After reading this I am really worried. I am hoping someone can tell me Dungloe is different but I suspect I am deluding myself due to the fact I am desperate for a job. If anyone in the Dungloe branch could let me know whats its like to work there I woud be very grateful.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/48cYm.gif[/img]

Is KS still working? Saw a job advert which looked like hers?

And still are and always will be until someone steps in and make a lot of changes Who could that be?????

additional hours?? more like do the hours or be sacked!...when was the last annual pay rise?? seven, eight years ago, they think a pay rise is when the minimum wage rises five pence!...not allowed to take paid holidays when you want to...move your statuory holidays to suit them without any discussion with employees(sure whats new)...the list goes on...this company were a nightmare to work for!

From what I hear... there is NO sick pay, NO life assurance, NO pension, NO benefits what to speak of really.....

Pity - because I would love to work as a BDE but with no benefits its a non starter!

I got an interview in the London office for Business development executive role. Has anyone got experience for that role? Also what questions do they ask in the interview?

What is the Business Development positions like at Randox? I can see them advertised and was looking to apply. Also - are there any benefits like healthcare, sick pay, assurance etc??

... but 100% true!

...but are 100% true

I noticed InvestNI had two reps in speaking with the MD - be interesting to see whether or not they ask questions about conditions and morale - after all, with the amount of investment in to the company from taxpayers money, it's in the interests of Joe Public to know themoney is being spent approprately.