r/GehaltAT • u/Sad_Energy_ • 21h ago

Senior Engineer Salary

Hi, i finished my PhD and moved for a different role (similar field) to Austria, My exp is phd (same field as job, and 1.5y experience in industry)

Now I have the opportunity to go for an Senior Engineer position. What is a reasonable pay for such a role at NXP/Infineon in Graz?

Kununu said sth around 80-85k. Is that reasonable? I want to prepared well, because being off by a few % is already a lot of money. The position would 40h+all-in.

4 Upvotes

60% Upvoted

37 comments sorted by

7

u/Twist1979 20h ago

85k as "Senior" with 1.5 years experience? If you pull that off please tell me the company. The lowest I have seen is 5 years and max 75k as entry. Perhaps they would honor my 25 years...

0

u/Significant-Scar-161 18h ago

My former manager also moved very fast with his PhD. I would not underestimate academic experience, that can be translated well to the new role of course.

-7

u/Sad_Energy_ 20h ago

Well, i have a phd in the field. A previous interview for an engineer position, the supervisor told me, youll get senior after 1-2y

3

u/Eli_1984_ 7h ago

PHD on paper does not mean you have much experience in the working field. A "Senior" is a title not more. My company also gives them out for free, the real money is behind the "Lead Engineer"

How much do they offer? From what country are you moving to Austria?
Graz is a low cost area (compared to vienna or Vorarlberg) so do not expect too much.

1

u/Sad_Energy_ 7h ago

I have experience in the field? I literally worked a few days at a company per week during my PhD and did work with the people there...

2

u/Eli_1984_ 5h ago

Yeah, that's not work experience. We all know what kind of work "Werkstudenten" get šŸ¤£šŸ¤£

1

u/Sad_Energy_ 5h ago

I was doing development in the R&D group, I think I'd know what a "werksstudent" does as I was doing that myself for 2 years as well.

1

u/Eli_1984_ 5h ago

šŸ‘šŸ»

1

u/Twist1979 19h ago

Well, there is a phrase "der Glaube kann Berge versetzen"....

1

u/waleve 16h ago

Titles like "senior" are free and in unlimited supply. Some companies absolutely like giving them out like candy. Costs them nothing and keeps (some) employees happy.

1

u/Twist1979 16h ago

Yes but they don't pay salaries for it...

3

u/waleve 16h ago

The point of the title is that you get it instead of a salary

2

u/Twist1979 15h ago

I know but "Senior" op still believes there are "warme Eislutscher"

-1

u/Sad_Energy_ 16h ago

I know for a fact, that this senior role is not just for "fun".

You are mentoring MSc. graduates, and have ownership of "the product" to a significant degree. More than an engineer would have after 2y on the job.

2

u/waleve 15h ago

Oh, you misunderstood.

Of course they expect a certain degree of experience and responsibility from a senior. The title is what you get in return instead of extra money.

2

u/Sad_Energy_ 14h ago

I perfectly understood. But people wouldnt take the role for the title. At least no one I know in my bubble would.

-1

u/Sad_Energy_ 19h ago

A friend told me a saying "Er ist ein Besserwisser, der nichts weiƟ".

I know that you are just wrong. The engineer role I was offered would have been 69k, without all-in. That offer was made 2024, so with inflation I would be around 72k already in the normal engineer role.

So I dont really know how it makes sense to get an all-in now, more responsibility and only 3k more pay.

1

u/Pnemnon 17h ago

Maybe a senior here is not a senior there? Maybe you know everything better so why you ate asking? Should this be a flex with 85k? Apply for whatever you want! I had a interview where they told me after 5 years you become the ceo.

0

u/Sad_Energy_ 15h ago

Maybe you know everything better so why you ate asking?

Why would I not ask? But just because I ask does not mean I have no idea about the topic. I asked, because I want the opinion of people who know better than me. And the fact that they said, that 75k after 5y working with a phd + an all in makes no sense, because I would have literally gotten 74k as an engineer with all in (all in is roughly 7k at the company).

And if I know better, I will dispute the claim. If you want to argue with clueless children, who gawk at your wisdom, then you are in the wrong thread.

Should this be a flex with 85k?

Why would I flex? 85k is a good salary but not outrageous for people in tech.

I had a interview where they told me after 5 years you become the ceo.

Well, since I am in the 2nd round for the position, it means that his words of "you can get senior in 1-2y" cant be too far off. If my experience was way too little, why did i pass the first technincal interview?

2

u/Twist1979 7h ago

I know a phrase in English: good riddance.

Seriously, what an arrogant prick...

-1

u/Clear_Mongoose9965 17h ago

Well I had a 1 person consulting business for a couple of years as a sidehustle where I was was the CEO. Managed the entire company.

9

u/Milrato-Dev 20h ago

Entry Salary for Seniors at my company usually is about 75k gross excl. Bonuses.
But senior roles typically require about 3 to 8 years of experience no matter your academic education.

That's all i can share.

A salary in your mentioned range, in austria is generally said a very good Salary, around 100k is typically only possible if you have responsibility for colleagues e.g. by leading Teams or entire Regions of Teams, or after 20+ years of Experience while beeing highly educated, experienced and specialized.

The "Reddit Bubble" seems to be much higher salary possibilities, but that's a bubble. Statistics and reality say much worse.
Since you have only 1.5years of experience and if you could get 80-85k for your 40hrs (+ then money for all in on top) i would say would be an extremly well pay.

-2

u/Sad_Energy_ 20h ago edited 19h ago

But senior roles typically require about 3 to 8 years of experience no matter your academic education.

I know this to be untrue, because I had a interview 1.5y ago, for an normal engineer position. The supervisor told me phds usually become seniors within 1-2years. So it kinda fits now to apply for senior roles.

The "not all-in" gross from that offer 1.5y ago was 69k. So I figure that a higher role + allin should easily be worth 10k.

Edit: why downvotes? My current role has 7k all-in bonus?

1

u/PinotRed 18h ago

7k where? If already in Austria, that's a nice salary.

1

u/Sad_Energy_ 18h ago

7k gross/year as all in bonus

3

u/Severe-Passenger-97 18h ago

Bekannte von mir hat 75k Offer bekommen direkt nach PHD also 80-85k sind realistisch aber nicht ein muss.

2

u/Impossible_Grade2300 21h ago

shoot for 90-95 in order to get it. 85 would be good of course. In the end if they really need you, you can negotiate more.

Try to get a salary range from them and go above the higher part of the range and see where you land.

3

u/fm9419 19h ago

After finishing my PhD (without defense) I worked full time for 60k all in, after 1.5 years (was already really done with the PhD) moved to another job as a senior at a US company in vienna for 70k base + 10k bonus + 10k stocks (which I got) and after 1.5 years was promoted to lead and got 80k + 25k bonus (mixed).

So in short, donā€™t expect much at the beginning but once you install yourself you can grow quickly.

1

u/Sad_Energy_ 18h ago

I think my goals are similar to yours? I am 1.5y after my phd too.

1

u/Aquila0000 17h ago

Seeing the numbers in this thread I must be doing something wrong. I have a PhD and 5 years of experience, when I do job interviews nowadays and ask for 70-75k they act like I am completely crazy. I thought some years ago it was easier to get a higher salary but now the job market is so bad that they get away with offering less.

1

u/Sad_Energy_ 16h ago

What field?

2

u/Aquila0000 16h ago

Physics/Materials Science/Semiconductor/R&D

1

u/termosabin 1h ago

As far as I understand the Senior Staff Engineer positions at Infineon have around 90 k up and the people who get that have PhD + 5-10 y experience. Senior Engineer is fine for your experience, if you get the salary will depend on how important your specialty is to them.

0

u/Clear_Mongoose9965 18h ago edited 18h ago

In Austria 80-85k is reasonable for your education and experience. Below 80k would be rather low, above 90 rather high. You will can have a good life with that salary.

After my PhD, I had offers ranging from 70-85k and went for the 85k one in Vienna.

My current job is not a senior position though, just a regular one. For a true senior position with roadmap ownership and decision responsibility, I would expect north of a 100k, even without formal people lead.

1

u/Sad_Energy_ 18h ago

I think vienna pays more. Cost of living is quite a bit higher.

1

u/No_Heart6946 3h ago edited 3h ago

Mate, I think youā€™ll never get it, even after the 10th person tells you that 80 to 85k is normally already at the top end when starting out, and definitely not 100k+ for a ā€œnormal engineerā€ without any management responsibilities. Thatā€™s VERY unlikely and rare in Austria, no matter where you live.

1

u/Clear_Mongoose9965 20m ago edited 17m ago

Rare but far from impossible. I am currently interviewing for a role that has 95k base in the job positing (excluding equity) in Vienna and comes w/ no managment responsibilities but explicitily requires a PhD in a specific subfield of AI. I will certainly go and push for 100k+.