Tesla

The engineering problems are fresh, the employees are young, and the work is important. Even as an intern, I felt I was working on problems that the engineers needed creative solutions to, rather than just learning a rote engineering methodology.

The electric powertrain and vehicle sides of Tesla have some cultural differences. One side has older engineers who had experience in Detroit, and one has younger people who are solving less well-defined problems. Both are really free to look at new tech and new solutions because of the youth of the company. So, there's a good place here for a lot of engineers, including some that wouldn't normally consider an automotive setting, and those who think that Tesla isn't a hardcore automotive company. I think it runs the gamut, and it would be worth the time to explore for the right position in the company, as many teams are very different.

Honestly, one of the biggest cons was their location, far from the city. The office is not accessible by public transport, though they are working more and more on shuttle services. The campus can be accessed by bike from the local Caltrain stop, but it's about 20 minutes uphill getting in.

The current, very horizontal setup is great for incoming employees. However, I think as the company grows, some thought should be given to a rotational program for entry-level engineers. The teams at Tesla do such massively different work, and finding a good fit at the company can be optimized.