Tech IndustryOct 23, 2023
Lyfteulbmob

Pinterest vs Cruise offer evaluation

6 yoe Both offers are L5 ML Eng Both Fully remote @ HCOL location Since Pinterest front loads RSUs, it's a bit difficult to compare the offers term by term. I will calculate the first 3 years of TC year-by-year for both companies. yr4 TC are not that critical because either promote or jump ship by then. Pinterest Base: ~240k RSUs: ~540k over 3 years, with a 50%,33%,17% schedule, no 1-yr cliff RSU Refresher (assuming meet): ~180k/yr vesting evenly over 3 years Cash performance bonus: 0 Sign-on: 160k over 2 years (80k+80k) Year 1 TC: ~590k Year 2 TC: ~560k, first 2yr avg: 575k Year 3 TC: ~460k, first 3yr avg: 545k Cruise Base: ~240k RSUs: ~880k over 4 years even schedule with 1-yr cliff RSU refresher (assuming meet; assuming 25% of initial grant, can be wrong): ~220k/yr vesting evenly over 4 years Cash performance bonus (assuming meet): 15% of base Sign-on: 0 Year 1 TC: ~500k Year 2 TC: ~555k, first 2yr avg: 527.5k Year 3 TC: ~610k, first 3yr avg: 555k Considering companies' future, WLB, culture, doors opened after this job, which is a better choice?

Poll
222 Participants
Select only one answer
Equinix himtern Oct 23, 2023

Damn I gotta get into ML

Nordstrom ehk366 Oct 23, 2023

OP probably has doctorate. It would be extremely rare for non PhD to get this much with that YOE

Lyft eulbmob OP Oct 23, 2023

I do. My PhD is normal computer eng, not ML though

Expedia Group Mandosa Oct 23, 2023

Stay 2 years in Pinterest and jump to cruise for better pay!

Lyft eulbmob OP Oct 23, 2023

Sounds like a plan

Zoox bLdf64 Oct 23, 2023

Cruise will not exist in 2 years time. I don’t know much about Pinterest and how they are doing financially, but avoid Cruise

Lyft ieatcake Oct 23, 2023

What skillset do you have?

Lyft eulbmob OP Oct 23, 2023

Backend + MLOps & CV/general ML modeling

ByteDance MCHNLRN Oct 24, 2023

What does “backend” even mean anymore? Distributed systems and data eng?

Atlassian yeqR48 Oct 23, 2023

How much ml do you need to pass the interview

Lyft eulbmob OP Oct 23, 2023

Need to have some sense about how to design a ML system for real world use cases

Amazon wattd Oct 23, 2023

Both offers are remote?

Lyft eulbmob OP Oct 23, 2023

Y

Block lamesauce Oct 23, 2023

Phd?

Lyft eulbmob OP Oct 23, 2023

Y

Pinterest anon99 -_- Oct 23, 2023

Damn, my TC nowhere near that with more YOE. Maybe need to switch to ML or quit 🤔

Lyft eulbmob OP Oct 23, 2023

I got lucky

Cruise hyqwklgu Oct 23, 2023

Definitely Pinterest. Cruise has some of the absolute worst WLB and AVs are a more uncertain industry.

Nordstrom ehk366 Oct 23, 2023

50 hr work weeks? Didn’t know cruise gave remote offers either

Cruise fpal Oct 23, 2023

Cruise always has a fully-remote option. Most of my team is remote.

American Express gilbertgrp Oct 23, 2023

Congrats OP. Great offers! I have similar background as yours. Would you mind sharing the interview rounds you had?

Lyft eulbmob OP Oct 23, 2023

Please dm

Apple hsnaks Oct 23, 2023

How did you learn these new technologies if u have comp engineering background

Lyft eulbmob OP Oct 23, 2023

Tbh I feel really lucky. Have been wanting to do ML since day one in my career. I’ve met some really amazing mentors and got introduced to some great (but challenging) materials. Also had gradually transitioned to more ML related roles within the company and accumulated practical experience along the way.