Pros
- I used to think I was under-paid given how hard I work. Wrong!! I've been here 7 years, and the value of the stock that I own is greater than the cumulative salary I've earned over 7 years. So my effective compensation has been >2X that of other aerospace companies. - Accepting a lower salary for more stock compensation is a risky move, and not for everyone. It makes sense when you are young and don't have a mortgage. The company is still growing in value, and I have no immediate plans to sell my stock. I can probably retire in my 30s, if I choose to. - If you get hired into one of the development departments, you get a lot of responsibility very quickly. No one wants to give you something that you will fail at, because we are relying on you to actually finish that project on time, but it will be a hard learning curve, you will own it, and you will learn a lot. As for production engineers, some people love it and and some people only took that job so they could move into development work. - Most people are super smart and motivated. The other people don't last long. Turnover can be fast, but we like it because we don't want to work with slackers. The culture is amazing if you demand high standards from yourself and others.
Cons
- For your first few years, hours will be very long. Eventually you'll be efficient enough to work 8-9 hour days. But some people become addicted to the work, or get greatly promoted, and constantly work 12+ hour days. It's up to you really. If you want an awesome job but also want a life, carefully consider the promotions offered to you.