Avantages
MIT is really a community with all the conveniences you might expect in a small town right on campus - pharmacy, health center, entertainment, gym, places to eat. I worked with some phenomenal people who I liked and respected. Loved having access to lectures and presentations by well known science, technology, industry and art movers and shakers. I was lucky to work for one of the finest men I've ever known who treated staff and students with respect, compassion, and humor.
Inconvénients
Most departments are run like little fiefdoms. It's mostly impossible to get promoted unless you leave for another department. Some department heads are head because they have achieved great success in their field but that doesn't mean they know how to run a department or manage people. I know it's a thankless job and it's difficult to find able administrators but a little more care about who is in this position would go a long way toward keeping ALL the staff happy.