Argo AI offer Evaluation

New
code2705

New

code2705
Apr 21 18 Comments

Recently got an offer from Argo AI for a Software Engineer 2 (L4) with the mapping team in the Bay Area. The recruiter said that the team had great feedback and I could have been L5, but they are adamant on L4.

Initial Offer:
Base: 175k
Annual Bonus: 15%
Equity: 400k / 4yrs (based on a projected 20B valuation, however current valuation is 12.5B)

TC: ~300K

Current TC 200K.

How much and what all can I negotiate on? Also, any opinions on WLB with the mapping team?

#tech #bayarea #argoai #evaluation #mapping team

Argo AI Waymo Cruise
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 TOP 18 Comments
  • Aurora
    KlrC47

    Go to company page Aurora

    KlrC47
    Projected valuation lmfao — next level recruiter speak. Use current preferred price for equity, not “estimates,” and see TuSimple/Aurora as examples of stock performance post IPO. This is a pretty typical L4 offer if not on the very high end of the salary band.
    Apr 22 3
    • Aurora
      KlrC47

      Go to company page Aurora

      KlrC47
      Use your current comp and ask them to match at current preferred price (nicely):
      175*1.15+(400/20*12.5)/4 = 263.75 < 300.
      Best of luck.
      Apr 25
    • Meta
      ilovezuck🧙‍♂️

      Go to company page Meta

      ilovezuck🧙‍♂️
      They will not give you equity at the current valuation, if you want to work there you need to accept the equity for what it is, fake money that may never turn real.
      2h
  • Thermo Fisher
    bbrbro1

    Go to company page Thermo Fisher

    PRE
    Rio Tinto
     bbrbro1
    I think you took the job I was interviewing for :/
    Apr 21 0
  • Argo AI
    ghjkliop

    Go to company page Argo AI

    ghjkliop
    Negotiate. 190k-200k base is possible and ask for 30k joining bonus too. Many at L4 got that deal
    Apr 22 1
    • New
      code2705

      New

      code2705
      OP
      Do you know the max tc they offer if I have competing offers for other AV companies ? Do they match the offers ?
      Apr 25
  • Argo AI
    liposuct

    Go to company page Argo AI

    liposuct
    My advice: ask for the fair market price and current valuation it is based off to the recruiter. They may say 12.4B which was true at one point but is certainly not today. If the shares are roughly $50 at 12.4B valuation each per the recruiter and you get 10,000 shares, it would have been a $500k grant before AV stocks went down by 50% but it's $250k now, not whatever the recruiter says it's worth at 20B. Look at other AV stocks. If you can't get true current valuation, ask when the valuation used for setting the price of the shares was last determined. The recruiter might try to avoid answering these questions directly but do not stop asking until you have an answer.
    3d 3
    • Argo AI
      liposuct

      Go to company page Argo AI

      liposuct
      Ok, but what a new hire gets today must somehow be tied to current reality. The point is to get a realistic CURRENT estimate of the equity grant. If you think Argo is currently worth 8b, ask what the shares are worth at that.
      2d
    • Meta
      ilovezuck🧙‍♂️

      Go to company page Meta

      ilovezuck🧙‍♂️
      I do not think the recruiter knows any of this. When I worked with the recruiting as an HM, they were also kept in the dark on all of this and were only given talking points. Ming and their team did not do a great job of explaining anything in terms of equity, and this was obviously by design. It is a cluster fuck. If the equity is the make or break of signing the offer, then I would just move on
      1h
  • Argo AI
    liposuct

    Go to company page Argo AI

    liposuct
    The equity is currently priced at about $50/share but this does not account for the recent market correction/50%+ drop in AV stocks. You need to compare the equity grant at around $25/share with other companies.
    3d 3
    • Argo AI
      liposuct

      Go to company page Argo AI

      liposuct
      I don't mind at all. I'll try to help.
      3d
    • New
      awsqac

      New

      awsqac
      If the recruiter gives you a reason that public companies have been shorted by fear in market, ask them to look at Cruise that went from 30b to 20b as well and at least perceptively they’re way ahead of Argo.

      Argo isn’t worth 20b. It WAS 12.4b with Lyft jumping in. It’s worth much lesser now.
      Yesterday