Sandisk

Pros: I got to work on some cool flash memory projects as a Firmware Engineer. It's a big tech company so there are lots of resources for learning new skills in the semiconductor industry. You can definitely learn a lot if you seek it out.
Cons: Promotions are slow; it's hard to move up without leaving. There isn't much formal mentorship for career progression. You often feel stuck in your role, especially for individual contributor paths in the San Jose office.
Advice to Management: Create clearer promotion paths for experienced engineers. Invest more in formal mentorship programs to help employees grow within the company, not just on specific projects.

Pros: The engineering teams here are truly smart and dedicated. There's good access to resources for a big tech company, and I learned a lot technically as a Senior Firmware Engineer. The San Jose office amenities were decent.
Cons: Upper leadership often felt disconnected from the ground level work. There's a lot of churn in strategic direction, which makes it tough for product development in the fast-paced semiconductor industry. Decision-making can be really slow, impacting project timelines.
Advice to Management: Work on more transparent communication from the top down. Give teams clearer long-term roadmaps and empower managers to make decisions quicker. Engage more with individual contributor engineers to understand challenges.

Pros: Base salary for a Hardware Engineer is quite competitive, especially in Milpitas, CA. The 401k match is pretty solid too, which is a good perk for big tech.
Cons: Health insurance premiums are kinda high, it eats into the paychecks. Also, stock options aren't super generous for us in firmware engineering roles. It's a bit disappointing.
Advice to Management: Review the health insurance plans to make them more affordable for employees. Also, make bonus structures more transparent for all engineering roles.