Anduril's product engineering machine

What’s the latest about Anduril’s work environment? They’ve been pushing vibes-heavy approaches to recruiting like making videos sneering at remote work and highlighting how quirky Palmer is, but the last I heard it wasn’t a great place to work. When I start seeing PR puff piece journalism about a workplace to make it seem extra fun, they’re usually compensating for something (low pay, long hours, bad work environment) in my experience.

I think Anduril's mission is great but I'd never work for a man who directly funded fascism in my own country. Would be cool if there was a more woke defense contractor that wasn't captured by institutional rot like Raytheon and Lockheed

It’s important to know that Andruil is culturally very similar to Palantir and is run by many ex-Palantir folk.

My experience with the latter is very outdated but assuming Andruil is at a similar phase of growth as Palantir was a decade ago, you pretty much nailed it

Someone correct me if I’m wrong:

Underpaid compensation, with a justification that they are only hiring people who are “mission driven”. Heavily military based culture with a “need to know” approach to projects and overreliance on acronyms to align thought. Perks are golden age startup perks with full meal service, massages, fitness classes, laundry because of you are looking for a 9-5 then this is not the job for you

Apparently Palmer Luckey doesn't have an official executive role at Anduril? He's listed as founder. Does he work there day to day?

https://www.anduril.com/leadership/

Sounds like when I worked for a defence contractor in the 90s. Felt owned from the moment I woke up until I fell asleep. Didn’t feel human.

Just woke up one day and thought fuck it and never went back in. Took 6 months off, went on holiday, slept on my parents sofa and eventually got a shit job wrangling C. Best job ever that was. Better money, unlimited decent coffee, 9-5 hours, a window, a phone on my desk and my own SPARCstation 20.

Watch a USMC recruiting video.[1] Same concept.

[1] https://www.youtube.com/@marinecorps/videos

Compensation is essentially top-of-industry, maybe with the exception of the Big 3 AI companies (that’s assuming you believe their RSU valuations, and that an IPO will occur).

Some projects are OPSEC-restricted, yes.

No massages, classes, laundry.

Many 9-5 people.

> Compensation is essentially top-of-industry

For junior candidates yes. Anyone with 5+ years of good experience, no, it's about half of what you'd make at Google.

You’re talking Google L5? Anduril L5 is similar YOE. I’m seeing ~400k TC for L5 at Google in levels.fyi, Anduril is significantly higher.

No, when I say 5 years I mean something like a PhD + five years in a relevant job. That would be maybe L6 at Google unless you're coasting.

Of all the moved goalposts…

Sounds insufferable, which is unsurprising since Parmer Lucky is the final boss of wannabe airsoft warriors who never served.

I’m sure it’s appealing to the Grunt Style vets and sweaty Call of Duty cosplayers they’re scooping up to build weapon systems.

And how does that relate to this discussion on relative compensation?

We are talking about senior employees at a R&D heavy company. You brought up Google L5 as the comparison. It is not.

I explicitly mentioned compensation is pretty standard for junior employees.

Alright pal. You haven’t kept a straight line this whole thread (this current message directly contradicts 2x previously established claims of yours). Good day.

> Compensation is essentially top-of-industry, maybe with the exception of the Big 3 AI companies (that’s assuming you believe their RSU valuations, and that an IPO will occur).

I guess it comes down to betting on the IPO then?

The two recent data points I have are from one person who interviewed, got an offer, and his only reaction was “lol, not a chance”. The other person I know who works there now (according to LinkedIn) was a coworker who was cut for underperformance when we worked together years ago. I’ve heard so many different stories about what it’s like that I don’t know what to believe any more.

Calling Anduril comp “significantly higher” than Google does go completely against what I’ve heard from others though. I’ll have to go look again.

EDIT: The levels.fyi data looks great for juniors but definitely isn’t higher than Google for L5+: https://www.levels.fyi/companies/anduril-industries/salaries...

For those in the defense industry, Anduril pays pretty well.

If you're using levels.fyi as a reference, Anduril pays its L5s significantly less, not more: https://www.levels.fyi/companies/anduril-industries/salaries...

I don't doubt it.

Still about half of what a senior role in big tech would amount to.

This is an interesting trend for a bunch of newer companies, pay competitively for junior roles but significantly below industry for experienced candidates.

I don't think this is too uncommon. The last two startups I worked for had a founder who wasn't on the org chart but was very much involved.

Dunno what you consider underpaid, I doubt anyone outside of FAANG software people would consider $400k/year underpaid. I'm sure for people like analog/digital design engineers, mechanical engineers, CNC machinists (who you all need to build stuff like this), a salary like this is a windfall.

This is a ridiculous set of assertions that is utterly without foundation.

Comp is 2-3x any other defense company.

Mission driven is very important.

Significant former military representation.

Anything DOD related is going to have need to know baked in due to DOD requirements. I’m not sure what your issue is with acronyms, they’re used a lot everywhere in defense. They’re not magic incantations, merely shorthand.

Meals yes, the rest of that no, it’s definitely not Google.

There are plenty of 9 to 5 jobs, and plenty that aren’t. Depends on what role you’re filling.

> making videos sneering at remote work

> highlighting how quirky Palmer is

Ironically neither of those things sound "fun" to me. They sound fun for Palmer, who can stroll around his office feeding his narcissistic fantasies but not for anyone else.

Classic cult recruitment tactic. Lure people in, hook them, then trap them.

Anduril is a decent base with a huge gamble on equity, Google is a sure shot.

People that started a year ago at Anduril are today making slightly more than they would be had they stared at Google. People that started 2 years ago are making far more than they would be. And it keeps growing – exponentially – from there.

Your claim is that they don't practice at-will employment?

Obviously not? The bigger issue is trusting them not to lord your RSUs over you.

Maybe if you don't know who Palmer Luckey is? We're talking about the dude who founded Oculus not to outfit the F-35, but because he was obsessed with Sword Art Online.

He's more macross than missile, a flamboyance you can ascertain from Hawaiian shirts or the smell of microwaved pizza rolls. If you put him in a life-or-death situation, he'd simply pray to be reincarnated as a Gainax employee. Luckey is an SBF-tier grifter who I don't trust with my taxpayer dollars and especially distrust with the lives of my family members serving under America's flag. I pray for another "last supper" in Congress by the time this admin is gone.

Are you familiar with the term "cult"?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cult

I am a 20+ year military veteran with multiple deployments. I don’t need to parade my “family members serving under America’s flag” for internet karma.

Anduril’s technology is saving lives right now all over the world.

Would you like to draw on your vast field experience to refute anything in my comment? Palmer Luckey spent more than a decade cultivating his down-to-earth weaboo persona, if that was all a lie then you need to tell us! It's a matter of national security, nowadays.

Though, just judging from the comment you left, you seem more upset with Anduril's reputation than any of what I said. Or your own karma, one of the two.

Exponential growth in salary? Wow!

Not realistic…….

2x every year for the past 8+ years. Realistic? Maybe not. Historic? Absolutely.

Sure. Do you have a real argument, or are you just aligned with siblings compliant: "this company sucks: when you stop working for them, they stop paying you"

That's not what the parent said.

Why would I need to refute patently obvious made up bullshit.

Because Palmer Luckey does in-fact wear Hawaiian shirts? Which part did I make-up?

Live in your fantasy world.

Prove me wrong. Anduril saving lives means nothing; terrorists and rapists can save lives, they're still terrorists and rapists though. Criminal lifesaving isn't justice.

If your tenure as GI has shown you anything else, then prove me wrong and forever preserve Luckey's honor. I only ever knew him as the guy who gooned to Asuka porn and collected floral clothing. He was really keen on making sure I knew him for that, but how did you know him?

Can you at least tell other commenters what your issue is? Don't focus on OP.

My first comment in this whole chain was crystal clear.