What it does: DuPont conducts research and develops a diverse line of products. Some of these products are industrial chemicals, synthetic fibres, petroleum-based fuels and lubricants, pharmaceuticals, building materials, sterile and specialty packaging materials, cosmetics ingredients, and agricultural chemicals.
Best known for: innovation in scientific products; fabrics & fibres, animal nutrition & health, adhesives, resins, water solutions, construction materials, automotive, energy, among many others.
Staff stats: Around 98,000 globally with operations in 90 countries.
The good bits: Excellent training and career prospects with the opportunity to work on a diverse set of challenges in important domains such as nutrition, sustainable materials and telecommunications.
The not so good bits: Cut-throat competition within the company, and notorious in 2018 for continuing layoffs and cost reductions.
DuPont was started as gunpowder mill by a French-American, Éleuthère Irénée du Pont, in 1802. Du Pont came from a prominent French family and studied under the guidance of the celebrated chemist Antoine Lavoisier. DuPont continued to expand into the production of dynamite, smokeless powders, and automobiles. A real breakthrough for the company came when they expanded into polymer production, hiring the services of Wallace Carothers, who is credited with inventing nylon during his time at DuPont. Placing value on scientific and technological innovation, DuPont later developed refrigerants and synthetic paints as well.
In 2017, Dow Chemical Company and DuPont merged to form DowDuPont, which was the world’s largest chemical company in terms of sales. Subsequently, DowDuPont spun off three businesses and is now known as DuPont. Today, DuPont is a global science company producing a diverse array of products, having been awarded the National Medal of Technology 4 times since its inception for inventing nylon, neoprene rubber, Teflon, and many other materials. A Fortune 500 company, DuPont has a two-century history of turning scientific discoveries into products that affect our everyday lives.
DuPont has been under scrutiny because of layoffs due to their merger with Dow Chemical Company but has had decent reviews from employees despite the climate of uncertainty. The core values of the company are safety, environmental stewardship, ethics and respect for people. Employees are expected to internalise these values through constant safety training, ensuring work-life balance, and ethical behaviour. DuPont expects employees to be prepared to work night shifts or weekends, but also provides flexibility in the form of work from home.
Due to the cyclical model of promotions, promotions can be slow and require patience. However, it also ensures that employees are rewarded regularly for their hard work.
A career at DuPont includes being surrounded by experienced & skilled engineers, scientists, and managers. Being involved in a company leading scientific innovation in material and other sciences means global exposure to scientific methods and safety. Many employees claim that the vibe at DuPont is one of familial belonging because of the long-time people have spent working at the company.
DuPont is known for smooth management, inclusive corporate culture and perks. All available job openings are advertised on its global careers website, where interested candidates can search by keyword, location & category. After picking which career path best suits them, the candidate is then required to create a new account (or log in with an existing account) to start applying. They are allowed to apply for multiple openings but should make sure that they meet the minimum qualifications for any job. The candidate can also create an account on the website for DuPont to match their profile for any future openings. As an equal opportunity employer, the website is accessible to persons with disabilities.
Candidates can expect to hear back from DuPont within 2-4 weeks. The first round of elimination would be group discussions if the candidates are being vetted from their institute of education, which is then followed by the rest of the process. If not, the recruitment process starts with two rounds of AMCAT online tests; aptitude testing, and psychometric evaluations. After this, there may be a telephone interview for candidates who do not reside in a city where DuPont operates. If the candidate clears these, they should be prepared for 2-3 detailed interviews evaluating their technical expertise and HR fit. The interviews are usually 50-60 minutes long but may go on for longer. Questions generally asked during the interviews have to do with expertise in the field you are applying to, and other day-to-day workplace ethics and challenges. The entire process usually takes a week to complete, but may take as long as a month depending on the job profile.
The hiring process is streamlined, but competitive, especially because DuPont looks for versatile candidates who can fit well with the company culture. As far as fit is concerned, candidates should be willing to show that they are flexible about working hours, shifts, and culture. They should also be prepared to answer questions about challenges from their previous work experience, and their expectations from the job in question.
DuPont hires people from a variety of disciplines, which is why they look for candidates who can articulate learning from past challenges. Candidates should be able to convince the company that they know how to solve difficult problems by getting to the root, and getting results without complaining.
Whether you choose to stay on at DuPont and climb the ladder within the company, or you choose to take your skills elsewhere, the prospects are promising for DuPont alumni.
DuPont, as a global corporation, provides opportunities to travel or relocate to other countries. The company is also involved in cutting-edge research in science & technology, investing in new R&D centres across the globe and also winning awards for useful innovations. Employees also move from R&D to Management roles and vice versa depending on the research projects.
If you choose to move on from DuPont, the prestige associated with the company will likely reflect well on your CV. DuPont alumni work in other corporations working in Chemical Sciences & Engineering, as well as in Management roles.
You can expect to earn the industry average salary for entry-level graduates, with bonuses offered to strong performers. The highest earners in the company are employed in management roles, earning a base salary of ₹30,00,000 to ₹40,00,000. 50% of the employees, which include those in science or engineering roles, earn between ₹15,00,000 to ₹32,00,000. Those in lower leadership positions earn approximately ₹15,00,000. These salaries fluctuate depending on the city where the employees work, with salaries adjusted according to the cost of living.
Every day, in 70+ countries around the world, more than 34,000 people come to work at DuPont. A career at DuPont means you’re part of something bigger. From an award-winning culture to growth opportunities, we offer everything you need to thrive. Here, your opportunities are endless.
DuPont provides generous benefits and resources to help you and your family stay well – physically, emotionally, and financially. Our benefits include health, life, disability and retirement plans that are among the best in our industry.
Aligned with our pay for performance philosophy, we offer competitive base pay and, depending on your position, variable incentives linked to the company and individual performance.
Time with your family is important. We provide generous vacation and holiday time to spend with family and friends, coupled with a variety of paid leaves, including paid new parent leave for both mothers and fathers. Plus, many employees can take advantage of flexible work schedules and the ability to work from home.
We believe in “Development for All” and have made numerous resources available to employees across the globe. You are empowered to drive your growth and development – in the areas in which you have the most interest and/or ability. In addition, our tuition assistance program is designed to support employees pursuing academic goals at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. We’ll help you find the resources required to progress your career!
Flexible Work Practices are designed to allow employees to juggle their personal obligations while still letting managers meet their business needs. We base our decisions on what´s best for the business, the team and the individual, not on the reason for the request. This ensures that it's fairly implemented for the benefit of all employees across the board.
When our employees become new parents, we are proud to help them thrive at work and at home. That's why we have recently announced a new parental leave policy that celebrates new parents with industry-leading benefits. The policy offers four weeks of paid leave for new parents – including adoptive and same-sex parents – and will be available globally to ensure all employees receive at least these levels.
Offset the cost of childcare, backup childcare services, and adoption assistance with pre-tax dollars. We also offer guidance resources to provide employees with practical advice on parenting, education information and college planning, career advancement and more.
As a science company, DuPont is involved in solving real-world issues that people face across the globe. It has made significant scientific contributions in many domains of world-building.
DuPont has a long-standing commitment to being an equal opportunity employer. In 2018, DuPont received a score of 100% according to the Disability Equality Index® (DEI®), indicating maximum support for those with disabilities. Moreover, in the same year, the DBP Inclusion Index recognised DuPont as ‘exemplifying what companies should be doing to help recruit, train and retain a diverse workforce.
In addition to this, DuPont also runs education initiatives in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics), providing support for hands-on inquiry ranging from elementary to the postdoctoral level. Other community impact initiatives include local projects the employees undertake; like a clean-up programme in Sasakami, Japan, sponsoring Special Olympics Delaware Summer Games, and working with local non-profits to expose at-risk youth to professional opportunities in Brazil, among others.
DuPont was sued by the New York state’s attorney general for being one of the companies responsible for manufacturing poly-fluoroalkyl substances (used in firefighting foam) which poses a public health risk if water contamination occurs.