Pros
Working at SOE has been am amazing experience! The leadership team is dedicated to fostering a positive environment, and it's evident in the way they operate: a) The culture here is centered around collaboration- everyone is willing to help you before their own project. If you ask the CEO or CTO about business operations or how to design a rocket, they will sit down with you as soon as they get the chance. b) The atmosphere is congenial, thanks in large part to the meticulous hiring process. I haven't encountered anyone who I don't like working with or I wouldnt want to chat with at lunch. c) There's a noticeable effort from the management to align projects with the team's interests, ensuring that everyone is engaged and invested in their work. Project work is prioritized based on what people want to do. d) Interns are entrusted with significant responsibility - those earlier career will get A LOT of real experience. e) The managers are adaptable and considerate. They respect individual work styles and trust employees to manage their time effectively, recognizing that different people work different ways. Some folks work 12-8pm, and it works great for them. f) The dedication to projects stems from a genuine passion for the projects rather than external pressure. People stay late because they want to, not because they have to.
Cons
The organization has experienced challenges typical of rapid growth. Processes and approaches that were effective with a small team don't necessarily scale when the team expands tenfold. In the rush to deliver projects, elements like infrastructure and documentation haven't received adequate attention, and this gap is becoming increasingly apparent. However, the leadership is aware of these issues and is actively working towards a solution, although it's understood that improvements will likely be slow. There is a persistent issue with being understaffed. Recruiting for any position tends to be a lengthy process, primarily due to the high standards set for potential candidates. While this does mean that filling roles takes time, it's not necessarily negative, as the exceptional quality of the engineering team attests to the effectiveness of the stringent hiring process. SOE has multiple pre-tag up meetings to discuss how interviews will be tailored to each individual - this requires an enormous amount of work, but it's clear why retention and quality remain so high.