Pros
The engineering team is welcoming and kind, clearly desires to do the right thing, and is deeply motivated by the mission. The projects we're doing are excellent opportunities to work on meaningful, real-world problems. Engineers are thoughtful and do a great job of prioritizing the creation of artifacts, posting publicly, and helping other employees. "A rising tide lifts all boats" is noticeably in play here. Engineering and Product leaders are open and transparent. Eng/Prod/Design triads are collaborative, with product and design partners who value engineering input and co-own problem spaces. People and Operations leaders are empathetic (especially when accidental missteps occur). Spring Health has a real business with real revenue, paying customers, and traction in the market, it's not just a startup idea with no product-market fit. Things can move fast, sometimes with shifting priorities, and that can be uncomfortable for people who want long discovery cycles or fixed roadmaps. My experience is that this is no different than any other startup with a co-founder CEO.
Cons
Still in a transitional period with new CTO. The engineering team is moving in the right direction, but some tenured engineers & engineering teams are highly risk-averse paired with a lack of critical experience. This manifests as decision-making based in fear. Some of that makes sense (this is a healthcare company after all) and folks want to make sure decisions do not cause harm. Unfortunately, it also means progress is inhibited by well-meaning leaders who just don't know the right approach. This is changing, particularly in certain areas of engineering, but the pace is slow and frustrating. Someone with practical experience in scaling systems could make a huge impact here. Some team process is better than others - mine has practical ceremonies/rituals without being too dogmatic or process-heavy, but have heard of other teams that can put process over people. Engineering teams are variable in how much mentorship you may received. If the team does not have a lot of seniority, then it is going to be better suited for folks who can seek out help and thrive in low-structure environments. Engineering teams are also variable in technical strength, particularly when it comes to industry best practices and high quality.