My first post here, so please be easy on me. I'm considering applying jobs in AV or EV companies in the west side. I was told Waymo is better place to work but Cruise pays you better. Cruise has JV with Honda, so I'm not sure if I will have some advantages of knowing Honda systems/development flow, if I apply to Cruise. I'm also eyeing on other startups like Zoox, Rivian, etc. I'm doing chassis system development with a focus on requirement management & verifications in system and vehicle levels, communicating with suppliers on a daily basis to get sw in time and manage all issues from open to closure. I am excellent at doing analytical and technical analysis on test results and finding root causes of issues (failsafe, diagnostic, or factory process issues, for example). Being stuck at Midwest for over 10 years, I have absolutely zero knowledge of how TC will be comprised of in tech companies, what job level I should target, and how much I can get given my experience. Any comments would be really appreciated. YOE: 8
Read the blind reviews. Cruise is heavily tied to GM...
yes, I'm reading many reviews.
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but for vehicle development I think Cruise is better. We’re building our own vehicle with GM from the ground up. On the other hand it may not be an enjoyable experience.
I do not see 'vehicle system integration engineer', 'requirements systems engineer' types of positions. pfollrie, do you know if Cruise has a separate department focusing on these types of jobs? or are they done by GM?
There’s a big group at GM working on this, so depending on your desired role it may be on their side. In general the vehicle roles at Cruise are about sensor integration.
Once you sign an offer with Cruise, first priority is to purchase a butt plug. Put it on daily and get used to it. It will ease the pain after you join.
I'm used to do a lot of overtime at my current job (and I'm doing more by WFH since Covid), but I get the feeling that overtime at these tech companies in Cali is at another level?
It’s not just overtime my friend ☺️
Cruise cash is high but bonus isn’t guaranteed at all. Lots of people didn’t get paid out in full on bonus. Performance review process ain’t great. WLB and mgmt maturity is mixed depending on team and proximity to wannabe-Elon. Cruise is going to be testing until the end of the decade before they deploy onto SF streets for public use... you might see the origin in 5 years! AI talent isn’t choosing cruise over waymo. Bunch of ex-FB ads ppl and some Didi eng, not poaching much from competitors in industry. Waymo > Cruise or better yet go choose a public company
I was at Cruise since the introduction of bonuses and I’ve never heard of one not being paid out. It can be modified below 100% only if you get a partially meets expectations which is if you’re on a PIP. It happens but not common at all. Wayne has been doing this for three times as long as Cruise and the products aren’t notably different. That says the whole market is stagnated waiting for a breakthrough. Cruise for TC, Waymo for culture/WLB. Technology depends on what field you’re in. Infrastructure? Go to Cruise. Sensors? Coin flip. ML/AI? Waymo.
What do you guys think of Rivian's future? Is it a good time to join it?
I want to know this as well.
Rivian pays mediocrity
I don't think you have much of a chance with Waymo or Cruise if your experience is in chassis system development. Neither of them are OEMs. Try your luck with other EV startups. We have 100s of applicants for every job, I'd say apply to anything suitable and then come back to blind for TC targets when you have progress on the interviews side.
@GoVOTE2020 100% Yes, first thing is to apply and to get the interviews. I also found that there are not many positions in Waymo and Crusie matching to my experiences and skill sets. But I do see some in Zoox and Rivian. Thanks!
Yeah. I am in the process of interviewing with multiple companies out west as well. I think might get lowballed when offer is out since my TC is not that high (very high for Columbus, IN but probably lower than you in Columbus, OH). My strategy is to ace multiple interviews, get multiple offers, use them for negotiation. Easier said than done but so far so good! Good luck to you!
@jkjkjk247 Exactly!, I have the same strategy. and yes, I'm very well aware of Cummins and Columbus IN. My TC here is not that high either. Anyway, thank you for your reply and good luck to you as well!
I was checking comp for federal employees (GS-general schedule) for indy metro area compared to bay area. In average only about 30-35% increase for the same pay level. So for corporate, maybe asking for 40-50% base increase just for COL might not be over reaching then ask for 10-15% more if job responsibility is increasing. Of course this is excluding RSU. But Most RSU in auto start up are paper money at this stage anyway...
I think Waymo is the gold standard, worth a shot to apply there. I'm in vehicle engineering at Zoox, similar experience, base is $166k, plus some amazon stock and some paper money
@cheesburgl Glad to see someone with similar experience. I'm also seeing many Zoox positions that match to my experiences, so I will start applying there for sure. And yes, I think it's worth a shot to apply Waymo. There are not many, but I see some positions that I can fit into. Thanks again for your reply!
Post your TC :)
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Waymo > cruise in terms of management, WLB, and fundamentals. Waymo builds its own hardware as well. In terms of TC, cruise is better (for base salary, not considering extras). Waymo is less likely to layoff. I suggest searching blind forums on insider info on cruise and Waymo though. All that being said, first step is always to get the interview first, then offer, and then decide from there.
Thanks for your response. I'm reading lots of reviews and posts about both here and there. Yes, you're right. I will have to apply and get the interviews first.