Startup Excitement, with Mission and Balance - Senior Mechanical Engineer Astranis Employee Review

5.0
Nov 1, 2018
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

As a member of a small team, we are all able to have a huge impact on a really cool project plus contribute to a great mission to connect the world. I have learned about many aspects of fields outside of my specialty in mechanical engineering because we are so small and work together all the time, and it is enriching and interesting to broaden my knowledge base into some parts of RF, electrical engineering, software and thermal. The group of employees is very likeable and inclusive as well as smart, and since one of the perks is having free lunches, we have a built in time during the day to socialize. I have found it to be a good balance of people finding friends and being included at work without the requirement that you do external social events to feel like a real part of the company. For a startup, I think that the work life balance is quite good, and while I spend 50-60 hours working per week instead of 40, I think it is time well spent.

Cons

If you prefer shorter, less meaningful work, this is not the place for you. There are some growing pains of being small where we have been trying to build new systems for documentation and planning, sometimes this can be annoying to deal with when things change.

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5.0
Jun 24, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Fast paced environment Free food/drinks

Cons

Not great career growth opportunities

1.0
Apr 28, 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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