Comment by sytelus
7 years ago
Interesting tidbits:
To solve problems at scale, paradoxically, you have to know the smallest details -Alan Eustace
Today, Google’s engineers exist in a Great Chain of Being that begins at Level 1. At the bottom are the I.T. support staff. Level 2s are fresh out of college; Level 3s often have master’s degrees. Getting to Level 4 takes several years, or a Ph.D. Most progression stops at Level 5. Level 6 engineers—the top ten per cent—are so capable that they could be said to be the reason a project succeeds; Level 7s are Level 6s with a long track record. Principal Engineers, the Level 8s, are associated with a major product or piece of infrastructure. Distinguished Engineers, the Level 9s, are spoken of with reverence. To become a Google Fellow, a Level 10, is to win an honor that will follow you for life. Google Fellows are usually the world’s leading experts in their fields. Jeff and Sanjay are Google Senior Fellows—the company’s first and only Level 11s.
> Level 2s are fresh out of college; Level 3s often have master’s degrees. Getting to Level 4 takes several years, or a Ph.D.
I..don't think this is still accurate. New grad SWEs are L3's.
Yeah it's mostly accurate but drop level 1. Lowest I've seen for technical employee of any kind is 2. New grad is 3. 4 is about 2 years later. 5 is the point where you have "no expectation if advancement" and is the most common level for mid-career people.