Nvidia vs Microsoft, need help deciding which offer to take
(for a friend)
Currently working in Intel, got an offer from Nvidia and Microsoft, some details and considerations below:
- Nvidia paying ~133k for senior software engineer, Microsoft 113k for level 60 sde
- nvidia team is Cuda chips driver team and Microsoft is display kernel development team in wdg
- prefer work and team culture more in nvidia judging from teams that interviewed
- nvidia 10k signing bonus, Microsoft 15k signing bonus and 15k worth stocks
- nvidia location is Santa Clara, while Microsoft is redmond (cost of living, tax, etc.)
- much less perks in nvidia vs Microsoft
- possibly better work life balance in microsoft, but he is highly motivated for good work so prefers nvidia here
- harder to move across teams in nvidia vs Microsoft eventually or if he doesn't like team
- moving to nvidia is easier since already close to bay area
- ex nvidia employee so environment would be more familiar and already worked in Cuda before
- nvidia in Santa Clara, so better weather than Seattle. Also better opportunities for other companies for his profile.
Money-wise Microsoft seems like the better option, but team and work-wise it's probably Nvidia (but Microsoft is not far behind in work quality from what he felt. The manager just tried to oversell the team and people didn't seem as friendly)
Any other factors you add might help in deciding. Or some gossip about either of these teams :)
comments
Also although Nvidia senior software engineer does not equate to MS senior software engineer .. but the MS listing was for an SDE 2 i.e. L61. NV on the other hand is giving the correct grade level (IC 3) Nvidia grade levels are flatter and go from IC 1 (college grads) to IC 6 or 7
also any thoughts on bay area vs Seattle?
I believe Cuda work is more future proof. I don't know the levels in nvidia so I can't relate to l60 in msft. In Microsoft usually undergrads are brought in at 59, ms(sometimes) or less than 4 years experience is 60. Microsoft title change happens at every odd number: SDE 59,60. SDE II 61, 62 senior SDE 63,64 then title change every 3 levels