L5 Data Scientist Amazon vs. T3 Product Analyst (Data Scientist) Google

Amazon vriP37
May 22, 2018 34 Comments

Dear Blind members,
I currently have a L5 DS offer at Amazon with around 160 full comp and Google offered me a T3 Product Analyst in their Photo team. I asked for a 200k full comp in CA to be some what comparable to what Amazon is offering and Google said that won't work and asked me for a slightly lower number to negotiate the full comp.

First Google keeps claiming a Product Analyst in their Data Science vert is a Data Scientist. Either one will be a salary bump from my current situation but I can't believe they low balled me with the level, which obviously effects the comp.

What is the right decision to make in this case? I kind of want to work for Google just because of better benefits but feel so bitter about the level and the cost of living difference. I'm not sure if I'm just feeling the grass is greener at Google and feel like I might be making a terrible mistake by taking the lower level. I was thinking I can always boomerang back but I'm not sure. Please advice me with right career choice and potentially how to negotiate comp and level (hr kept claiming hiring committee decision is final and can't give me my interview feedback).

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 TOP 34 Comments
  • Google gTeA35f
    L5 DS 160 full comp is extremely low. I was at 160k as a Data Engineer 2
    May 22, 2018 6
    • Google gTeA35f
      Oh that explains it. Aim for a TT, you will be given a super high raise to calibrate. I moved from BA to DE too!
      May 22, 2018
    • Google gTeA35f
      About your Google offer, if there are no other senior data scientists or people with PhDs in the team, it's very likely the role would not involve decent ML, it will be more analysis driven.
      May 22, 2018
    • Google gTeA35f
      But it's Google, there will be smart people sitting next to you.
      May 22, 2018
    • Amazon vriP37
      OP
      TT as in a technical team? Yeah that 105 base is supposedly a DS calibration. Did you relocate from WA to CA? How do you feel about working experience in both Amazon and Google? What would you advise in terms of growth aspects, wlb, etc.
      May 23, 2018
    • Google gTeA35f
      TT (Top Tier) is an Amazon performance rating.

      Its very team specific. You cannot generalize across Google, ssme euth Amazon.

      If you're going to report in a team which has 3-4 product managers be prepared to not work on ML. This applies to both Google/Amazon. Since you are joining in as T3 in G, there HAS to be someone senior if you are going to do ML.

      If your Amazon team is not in tech (ir does not have SDEs, RS, AS) I guarantee you will not do ML stuff.
      May 23, 2018
  • Google brqH44
    Just so you know, there are people at Google whose job title says data scientist. So the statement that product analyst is a data scientist doesn’t make much sense.
    May 22, 2018 3
    • Google tc20
      Google recently renamed Quantitative Analyst to Data Scientist, the same way Yale renamed their Department of Statistics to Data Science. The Unofficial Google Data Science blog is written by mostly Research Scientists and SWEs. Many product analysts / business analysts are really data scientists too. It’s Google that doesn’t make much sense here. Depends a lot on the team.

      Product Analyst/Business Analyst at Google is more like Data Scientist at Facebook, which is also kind of messed up.

      If OP’s idea of data scientist is someone who applies machine learning to the business, but not someone who implements distributed ML pipelines (ML engineer at Facebook) or someone who mainly builds dashboards, I’m not sure either company has the right ladder for you.
      May 22, 2018
    • Amazon vriP37
      OP
      This was very helpful. Being at Google how do you guys feel about the Product Analyst job family? The recruiter keeps telling me the company is more flat and level doesn't matter as much but taking a loss in level and going to a less technical title just doesn't feel good.
      May 23, 2018
    • Google tc20
      Like someone else commented, it’s all about the team/management you land under. You can carve out your own destiny here, regardless of the ladders. But you need to dig into what the work will be specifically on the team you’re joining, and whether that’s the kind of work you want to do. Product analyst is a technical ladder here. People also switch ladders after hire, if it turns out you should have been in a different ladder.

      QA (now DS) is more for people with a PhD in stats. BA is more applied. I work with many BA who set their title to “Data Scientist.” It’s not just analysts, but it can sometimes be, so ask the recruiter to connect you with the hiring manager for more details about the work. This advice applies to DS everywhere, not just at Google.
      May 23, 2018
  • Lyft lolissi
    The most important information is missing: wat da fuk those jobs really are. if one is real data science and the other is making slideshows to "support decisions" by MBA wankers, then choose the non-piece-of-shit job, easy choice.

    If you make the wrong call you will report to the man who paid you to do his college assignments.
    May 23, 2018 1
    • Amazon vriP37
      OP
      They were both sold to me as an early stage team that is only 2 yrs old and needs a lot of advanced analytical needs.
      May 23, 2018
  • Microsoft coffeeguy1
    I would make sure that the Google job is actually a data science position and not BA, you already have Amazon, Google wouldn't be bad for the resume
    May 22, 2018 7
    • Amazon vriP37
      OP
      Wow is it really a BA? That sounds like a really inflated title. I felt like they were over selling.
      May 22, 2018
    • Microsoft coffeeguy1
      Given that it's BA I would stick with Amazon
      May 22, 2018
    • Amazon LeGoat
      Most companies (Uber, Airbnb, Facebook) call their BAs data scientists, so it doesn’t really matter if it’s BA or not.
      May 22, 2018
    • Amazon SuaveNews
      More important question is what’s the actual work?
      May 22, 2018
    • Amazon vriP37
      OP
      Yeah they were both sold to me as a fairly new team. One is building global networks another one is building advanced analytical tools in the Photos team. Still kind of vague.
      May 23, 2018
  • New AMex31
    How come they are both lowballing you? Did you tell them your current TC or something?
    May 22, 2018 3
    • Amazon vriP37
      OP
      Yeah and their T3 supposedly caps at 160k and I asked for 200k because my Seattle TC is around 155k. Seattle is more cheap and don't have income tax. I'm thinking of asking for 175k at G which is barely matching my 155k in Seattle. But honestly don't know if I'm making the right decision.
      May 22, 2018
    • New AMex31
      Your first mistake was telling them your current TC, never do that. I'm sorry but I don't have any suggestions for what you can do now, other than try to get more offers in.
      May 22, 2018
    • Amazon vriP37
      OP
      Well I didn't tell them my salary it was another offer. Am I supposedly to upsell the other offer as well?
      May 23, 2018
  • Uber / Eng
    Brober

    Uber Eng

    PRE
    Uber
     Brobermore
    Go with amazon, transfer in a year if you don’t like it.
    May 22, 2018 1
    • Amazon vriP37
      OP
      Yeah this is almost what I'm thinking.
      May 22, 2018
  • Oath / Eng
    tacohell

    Oath Eng

    PRE
    Yahoo, Ford
    BIO
    Data guy
     tacohellmore
    Know a friend in Google photos as Product Analyst aka DS. Compensation is low for him and his job is all about SQL and dashboarding. Maybe you should try Quantitative Analyst (also aka DS) at Google which has higher pay and better promotion ladder
    May 28, 2018 0
  • New bKWB01
    I think people are biased to chose first option in the survey
    May 22, 2018 1
    • Amazon vriP37
      OP
      Yeah I don't know what's the deal with being super skewed. I'm actually almost leaning towards Google.
      May 22, 2018
  • TripAdvisor chikabomb
    How many years of experience do you have?
    May 22, 2018 1
    • Amazon vriP37
      OP
      3 yrs
      May 22, 2018
  • Visa shaolin
    TC?
    May 22, 2018 1
    • Amazon vriP37
      OP
      New to blind but both are low balling me bc Full comp is TC.
      May 22, 2018

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