This team will WIN - Engineering Director Astranis Employee Review

5.0
5 Mar 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Started out as an IC engineer years ago and have had great opportunities to grow in my scope, role and title over nearly 7 years. Originally joined found Astranis through AngelList. I chose Astranis because the 3 interviews I had were more difficult and more well run than other interviews I was having with other startups. Brilliant founders and early team members. The breadth of engineering problems is so diverse and continues to expand. I spent many years on space segment design, but have shifted to ground where there are a ton of interesting problems and rapid growth. The office is incredible and historic, the satellite factory is extremely impressive. Love working in the city! Dogpatch area is nice and getting better and better by the month. The measured growth over 7 years has allowed culture, hiring bar, communication styles to remain intact. I'm very confident that with the team we have, we'll put a real dent in the enormous global telcomm industry. Very excited for the next few years where things are going to accelerate faster and faster.

Cons

It's a marathon not a sprint. Takes a long time to do big things in space industry. Attempts to rush too quickly are often met with failure in the industry, so the measured approach is ultimately good.

Explore other reviews about Astranis

5.0
24 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Fast paced environment Free food/drinks

Cons

Not great career growth opportunities

1.0
28 Apr 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

You work with a lot of smart people and a general growing company. The work life balance is manageable

Cons

In my experience, decision-making is highly centralized with the CEO, and the Finance team operates more in a reactive/support capacity rather than driving strategic insights. As a result, there is limited opportunity for Finance to influence key business decisions. The CFO’s role appeared limited, with a focus on alignment with the executive team rather than independently driving business decisions. This dynamic can make it difficult for Finance to operate as a strategic partner to the business. Leadership dynamics within the team can feel unclear at times, particularly around ownership of processes and decision rights, which can create confusion and reduce effectiveness. I also observed that career progression may not feel equally accessible to all employees, with advancement often influenced by informal networks and visibility rather than clearly defined criteria. This may impact retention and overall morale. While the company operates in person, much of the communication from the CEO occurs through Slack, including urgent or high-pressure messages. In my experience, feedback and expectations were sometimes communicated in a way that felt abrupt or escalatory, including situations where job security was threatened. This contributed to a more tense working environment than expected for an in-office culture.

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