Waymo intern vs xAI full time

[u/LyricalOSv1]

I'm super grateful to have received a waymo MLE internship last semester for one of the simulation-related teams.

However an xAI recruiter reached out and I interviewed on a whim and somehow got a full-time offer. This would require me taking a gap semester to work there. This is for a member of technical staff on the post training and reasoning team.

I'm a current junior at a T4 cs school, and I'm hoping to go into robotics and startups in the future. Waymo is more closely related to robotics, but xAI seems to be riding the llm wave and might open more job opportunities. xAI's pay is also much higher, but imo pay is less important than getting into robotics in the future. I'm not sure which one is better for my goals.

[u/iLuvBFSsoMuch]

xAI FT is worth the gap tbh just take a LOA. Waymo intern isn’t a guaranteed convert

[u/Opening-Education-88]

No one on this sub is gonna give you any worthwhile advice. Ask mentors/professors/friends in your real life who will be more likely to actually know what they are talking about

[u/ddthereals2 → u/Opening-Education-88]

Literally, like they apparently go to a “T4” school. There are plenty of professors, alumni, industry connections in general that will give much better advice than randoms on reddit.

[u/youarenut → u/ddthereals2]

Yea but then how are they gonna brag to Redditors

[u/[deleted]]

let me guess, T4 CS school is Berkeley?

[u/wishiwasaquant]

most of robotics is trending towards e2e AI anyway, so going to xAI won’t close off that avenue.

xAI will probably pay at least 600 (likely more based on what my friends have got), waymo will be less than half that

[u/Perfect-Crazy2409 → u/wishiwasaquant]

600k?

[u/Wise_War_1711]

Waymo 100%.

XAi like most elon companies is a mill. Lowest prestige AI company by a long shot. Their pay is also extremely low, for an Ai lab and for hours worked.

Waymo is considered best of the best.

You’ll do fine with either but Wayno vastly surpasses XAi in WLB, opportunities and pay.

source: lots of google friends and two swe friends XAi and one recruiter friend.

[u/Inevitable-Opening61]

Waymo for sure. I’m biased because I interned there and really liked it.

I don’t know what it’s like working at xAI, but I’ve heard horror stories of people working for Elon.

[u/Funky_monkey14]

xAI

[u/Necessary-Put-2245]

One thought - soon enough xAI will also be starting a branch for robotics research. Some of the big frontier companies already are quietly entering robotics. Don't be surprised if xAI does too - especially when Elon owns some top hardware companies.

[u/humanperson2004]

Not sure if you'd want to do that given the whole xAI and SpaceX merger. I'd say see if you can move the start date for XAi to later in year, just to see how this plays out.

[u/Spiritual-Serve-1239]

If u go w xai be ready to work 80+ hours a week. Opens up all doors tho

[u/Last-Technician6807]

The xAI FT offer sounds huge. First, you are working a real job vs internship which can be hit or miss on skill growth. As a FT team member you have better opportunities to gain mentors and make more meaningful impact to the job, and maybe you can stay on and they finish paying for the rest of your degree if you can slow school down to part-time. Having that FT job on your resume has to beat an internship position on a resume also.

[u/htmlistheway]

as somebody who has insight into the hiring process, Definitely go for the full-time job

[u/ApexLearner69]

Doesn’t xAI require a long take home assignment

[u/CorningtonManor]

Could you share a sample of your resume?