Wealthfront

Being a Software Engineer at Wealthfront offers huge amounts of autonomy. This is the first place I have worked where it feels like I am a valuable member of a team, rather than just working under the direction of a manager or according to some pre-defined release plan that I had no say in.

The team is both welcoming and top class. It's clear that Wealthfront has a high bar for candidates, and this truly feels like a place to learn from the best.

The work is highly challenging and even more interesting. Everything is fast-paced, but not in a stressful way. We are given time and freedom to explore options and technologies, and not penalized if an experiment doesn't pan out.

The software engineering methodologies are exactly what you'd hope for: continuous integration and deployment, code reviews on all pull requests, and a heavy emphasis on testing.

Among the offers I received, Wealthfront's was at the top, without even taking into account the numerous other benefits (e.g., a free Caltrain pass, stock options, a relocation bonus, fully stocked snacks/drinks, and free Starbucks, Peet's, Philz, and Yogurtland).

Given how quickly Wealthfront is hiring and expanding, there are a few minor issues with their onboarding process that could be ironed out to make new employees able to get up and running faster.

The office is based in Palo Alto, so if you're in the city it can be a pain to commute, but the free Caltrain pass at least makes this a time issue rather than a financial one.