Zoox

Food (I heard it is gone), pay is decent.

Poor execution. Director-level leaders are typically non-technical. Program managers run the show, holding meetings, giving status updates, and assigning the wrong people to jobs. They promote young, inexperienced engineers to managerial positions so their boss remains safe, as he or she is typically a non-technical "sleek talker." All is about looking good in meetings, talking at a "high level." Everyone seems good and makes sense, but it is all hollow. Real engineers will find themselves being asked to install a window on the wheel of a car so it can make coffee. Many, many real engineers have left, and the company did absolutely nothing. It is a very "pretending" culture. It is just about fooling around.

Listen to what engineers say, not the TPM with beautiful charts and promises tailored to please you. Get down to earth and hire competent technical leaders. But this pretending culture has been so deeply rooted, I guess whatever it is, it does not matter.