YoE : PhD + 10 Mechanical engineering background. Current TC : 145k LCOL : North Carolina 125k base 6% bonus 5% 401k match ESPP : 6000 BLUE ORIGIN OFFER Initial offer : TC 159k Sr Engineer 153K base 4% 401k match Kent WA Still interviewing at Texas Instruments Any suggestions on countering??
COL comparison for NC is off assuming you’re near a metro area — it’s a little over +20%, so 145 —> 175. I’d avoid Detroit unless it was a once in a lifetime shot with life-changing TC, and even then I’d be counting the days until I could escape.
Agreed with you on Detroit area. Thinking about cutting it out.
So if I am just matching at 175K, what’s the benefit of even going for it in terms of TC?
Depending on the job role, you got a fair offer or a low ball one. Also the stock options are seriously worthless.
You literally could not pay me enough to work for Blue. From the refugees I have talked to from them, the culture is everything I don’t want.
could you elaborate? Is this localized to the kent location or at all locations
If you want stable paycheck and can block out the ridicule from the rest of the space industry, Blue will be cushy. Make an effort to get as much TC as you can now rather than expect good raises in the future (bell curve raises, regardless of performance). Dont expect much progress to be made while you are at Blue and expect upper management to make arbitrary decisions on your projects status (from experience). Also, I would not live in Kent, it is an industrial district with bad residential environment. If you are single you may not mind being in Kent, but most people with families live in Maple Valley, further south, or somewhere closer to Seattle (so adjust for Seattle metro housing prices instead of Kent housing prices).
What do you think is a good offer for a senior engineer role?
For phd and 10yoe? Id ask for 180k tbh.
Any update? I hope you rejected.
Also, does BO not offer stock?
I rejected it. And that’s it. Still interviewing at other places. I asked if I could go to Florida with 160 and the HM said Florida pay scale is further lower and that shattered my interest in working with him. BO stock is not liquid without some event triggers. They offered 30% of annual base pay as stocks which vest over 5 years
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I live in Seattle with lots of family in NC. Can't comment on the Michigan job other than to say I wouldn't move for that TC bump bases on comp alone. The people I know at Blue Origin are quite happy there, and WLB is allegedly much better than Amazon. The COL adjustment you cited seems a bit steep, but the difference in housing cost is certainly extreme. You would certainly be taking a dip in sheer purchasing power, but TBH not that extreme. Also no state income tax.
I am expecting to see at least 10% jump in TC for a new job. If it’s 145*1.10 = 160K. How much do you think it converts from Greensboro NC to Kent WA ?