dropping data. senior SWE offer, SF-based (remote not offered for this role), 2026. base: $235k sign-on: $50k (one year vest) equity: ~$600k RSUs over 4 years refreshes: yes, discussed annually at review
total year-1 comp roughly $435k depending on stock price. equity grant was in dollars not shares so no pre-vest fluctuation surprise.
benefit package was strong. 401k match, full medical/dental/vision, meaningful compute credits for employees which matters if you're in an AI-adjacent role.
negotiated the base up $15k from first offer with a competing offer from another AI lab. sign-on budged slightly, equity did not move. this is consistent with what I've heard from others there.
4 replies
contractor_kai
equity in dollars at grant is the right move for employees, removes so much uncertainty. $600k over 4 is solid but that's pre-any-appreciation on a company that's probably going public or secondary within that window. could be significantly more depending on timing.
visa_vik
do you know if they sponsor H1B transfers? that's the first question I need answered before I can even evaluate comp numbers.
numbers_only
yes, they sponsor. saw it come up in my recruiter call and confirmed with HR. they have internal immigration support. obviously do your own verification but this was true for my process.
market_realist
this is right in line with what I've seen posted elsewhere. the $200-240k base range for senior SWE seems to be the band. the equity is where the meaningful upside is. thanks for posting, useful reference point.