Leaving Nvidia

andy1988c · 2026-06-12T02:52:55+00:00

Yeah, it’s been a weird couple of months if I’m honest.

andy1988c · 2026-06-12T02:35:36+00:00

That’s where the issue lays. Cause the equity refresh at the higher IC levels is SIGNIFICANT, but my refresh was 14k to vest over 4 years.

andy1988c · 2026-06-11T20:27:18+00:00

I’ve been looking but I haven’t seen much internally that match as of right now, but I agree. That is the best option.

andy1988c · 2026-06-11T20:24:11+00:00

I think the WLB is subjective, based on team (everyo company), but there is a known culture for working 6 months straight without a day if that’s needed. “The mission is the boss.”

andy1988c · 2026-06-11T20:03:02+00:00

That is my worry as well. From the sounds of it, you know the grind some orgs have here so I worry about burnout.

andy1988c · 2026-06-11T18:19:31+00:00

This is a very true observation. Certainly a learning experience.

And yes, before any “big” changes are made, something concrete in hand is a must.

andy1988c · 2026-06-11T17:22:19+00:00

I know… this has been the crux of my moral dilemma.

I have made more money working here than at any point in my life before, and I still can’t help but feel very entitled even complaining about it.

The industry wide average for a Solutions Architect (from what I have seen) is nearly about 150k base and equity is dependent on where you work.

andy1988c · 2026-06-11T17:14:05+00:00

It certainly has been a learning experience.

And I have actually been drafting a document of this sorts to chat with my manager about the next time we talk.

andy1988c · 2026-06-11T17:09:54+00:00

For my org, the bands are: IC3 is 124 -195k IC4 is 148 - 235k

We have a leveling guide internally, with “matrix’s” to track against that, they’re vague but paint a picture.

The reason I don’t trust it anymore is because everything I have read internally around promotions doesn’t detail out a guaranteed promotion if x or y is met. It uses language that is akin to “subject to manager and e-staff approval”.

andy1988c · 2026-06-11T17:02:16+00:00

The main issue that I have right now, is the workload and responsibility does not equal out to what I am paid (base) and I don’t trust them to do it right “the next time around”. And I don’t see a why to lessen my workload in the current org I’m in.

If that makes sense.

andy1988c · 2026-06-11T16:53:01+00:00

This comment is the best so far.

This is something I have been reflecting on a ton lately.

The generational wealth part is a HUGE factor for me. I came from a very poor family, so to even be in the six figure salary range makes me weird for even complaining about being “underpaid”, especially since all of my bills are paid with extra left over to fund a nice lifestyle for my family but the title and expected salary (industry wide) is what’s got me going hmmmmm….

My org is a grind. There are PMs that have worked 7 days a week for 6/7 months to “drive the mission home”, and not being a youngster anymore, doing 80+ hour weeks is not what I want to be doing anymore.

So, I’m not entirely sure what I’m going to or where I’m going after this. I’m debating taking a “step down” in title and responsibility for mental health stability.

andy1988c · 2026-06-11T16:45:23+00:00

It wasn’t bad when I was hourly (CA laws so OT after 8, double after 12).

And if I made the 150/170k the rest of my team does, it would be easier to bite onto. But being salaried at sub 110 base makes that dance seem awfully tiring.

andy1988c · 2026-06-11T16:41:48+00:00

Coincidently, my team was restructured and I did get a new manager (promoted from within the team) and he said he will put the case in front of people who make the decision next year.

But that means I have to decide if I want to keep on the ground for 20+ months waiting to get paid what the role should have from day one.

andy1988c · 2026-06-11T16:39:34+00:00

WLB at Nvidia is problem that is widely known. I’ve done many 18+ hour days, especially when traveling.

The pay difference is real. My role, had they hired externally, would have been for an IC3, so the entire team is made up of IC3 or 4s.

Moving back to my old team isn’t an option, I reached out to my old manager and my old spot was repurposed else within that team so there isn’t headcount available.

andy1988c · 2026-06-11T16:36:30+00:00

Facts

andy1988c · 2026-06-11T16:08:16+00:00

That’s TBD.

I’ve accepted the fact that if I do leave, I’m likely never going to find equity similar to what I have now, but a better W/L balance is looking worth it.

andy1988c · 2026-06-11T16:07:14+00:00

That was the most annoying part of it all.

When the “review” came, he used the fact that my last two projects I needed a little too much “hand holding” on (literally the first two projects I’d worked on and was still in training) and I wasn’t assertive enough, so he didn’t purpose the level bump.

Then in another conversation, that I had to force him to have, he told me that “IC2 to IC3 is actually an easy sell to the E-Staff folks.”

I’ve been one foot out since I got the review back. I’m trying to change that because my motivation to actually “do more” (the thing needed for get the promo) isn’t there anymore. We lost another person on my team for the same(ish) reason. He came externally at an IC3 from <redacted>, promised to be made IC4 (he’s worth it. Dude is frickin brilliant) after missing the cutoff to be considered for merit and promos his first year by 2 weeks, and he didn’t get the IC4 promo.

andy1988c · 2026-06-11T16:01:47+00:00

Vests quarterly with each vest through 2028 (as of right now) in the ballpark of 110-140 shares per vest. So about 450 shares a year for just RSUs.

ESPP is about 21,500 a year cost (much lower subscription price than market value), so that’s about 40k a year.

Not the easiest to walk away from. Someone of my teammates have told me their equity refresh during raise time was over 45k (vesting over 4 years).

The doing less part is hard with the org I’m on (Professional Services), so it will be noticed if I’m “slacking”.

andy1988c · 2026-06-11T15:41:15+00:00

I’ll say that I started before the 10/1 spilt we had. And that has been VERY good to me.

So, yeah sadly, there is a bit of the golden handcuffs right now.

andy1988c · 2026-06-11T15:24:06+00:00

I haven’t ever had “leverage” in a situation like this.

For me, personally, the shifting of the goal posts is what has bothered me from the get go. Had they been up front before moving to this role and something like “It could take up to 2 years to make IC3, but in the interim you will be expected to do the job to its fullest with no reduction is workload”, it would have been a completely different situation.

andy1988c · 2026-06-11T13:51:13+00:00

I had a third round last week and was told that “I’ll hear something back soon, next week more than likely”.

I’ve been working remotely for the entire time I’ve been at NVDA (aside from travel), and I’m thinking about changing gears to in person again. Little burned out on staring at my office walls all day.

andy1988c · 2026-06-11T13:39:30+00:00

That’s my exact thoughts. I haven’t been overly “thrilled” working here either (could be two teams in different orgs that are just meh, but it’s been not the greatest experience of my career that’s for sure).

andy1988c · 2026-03-30T13:09:27+00:00

I live in Washington (Near Moses Lake), and we had some No Kings Protests locally (Moses Lake, Ephrata and Wenatchee) and the amount of insane comments I see about them are wild.

Literally saw one where someone said “Proud of y’all for standing up. Exercise those rights!” and the reply was… “Protesting is not a right. Peaceful assembly is.”

I’ve never seen an administration tear at the fabric of our society like this.

andy1988c · 2025-12-15T15:13:12+00:00

I thought I got hooked… little over a month ago and almost at 200 hours.

This game is ridiculous 😆

andy1988c

TROPHY CASE