Eastman Kodak: Latest Job Openings, Reviews and Ratings & Profile wise Salary Distribution

Eastman Kodak Careers & Info

Current CEO: James M. Continenza

Status: Active

The name “Kodak” is still synonymous with cameras in many consumers’ minds, even though the venerable imaging and photographic supplies corporation hasn’t marketed traditional film or digital cameras in the U.S., Canada or Western Europe since 2004. The company continues to market disposable cameras in these regions and more traditional cameras in India, Latin America, Eastern Europe and China.

The company was founded in 1881 by George Eastman in Rochester, New York, where it is still headquartered. Throughout most of the 19th century, photography was a cumbersome process, involving complicated equipment and long exposure times. Eastman’s dream was to bring photography to the masses, and in 1888, he did just that with the invention of the Kodak portable camera. The portable camera was an enormous success, particularly after Eastman developed a film cartridge system that allowed users to change the film in broad daylight. In 1892, the company’s name became the Eastman Kodak Company.

In addition to the original Kodak disposable camera, the company developed other game-changing cameras as well, like the Brownie in 1900 and the Instamatic in 1963. Other popular Kodak innovations included 16-millimeter Kodachrome film, the 16-millimeter Cine-Kodak motion picture camera, and the Kodak Carousel projector.

The recession in the early 1970s coupled with the availability of lower priced Japanese cameras led to a declining demand for Kodak cameras. In 1986, the company lost a patent-infringement lawsuit to Polaroid over its instant camera. The resulting class action suit brought on behalf of disgruntled customers who were unable to trade their discredited Kodak cameras in for a replacement was a huge financial blow from which the company never recovered. Downsizing, cost cutting and restructuring were unable to return the company to profitability. In the fourth quarter of 2009 alone, the Eastman Kodak Company posted a $137 million loss. In December 2010, Standard & Poor ousted Kodak from its 500 Index.

Many employees are ambivalent about working at Kodak. On the one hand, they appreciate the company’s global reach and the fact that the internal Eastman Company culture stresses fairness and ethics; on the other, they are aware that the company faces a difficult task regaining market share. It’s hoped that the developing Chinese market will be the company’s salvation. Kodak careers are in sales and technical development. Eastman Kodak benefits are tailored to be flexible so that employees can customize them to fit their families’ needs.

What jobs pay the most at Eastman Kodak?

Director of Business Development is the highest paying job at Eastman Kodak at $210,000 annually.