Pros
1. Intellectual environment. Voleon hires world-class researchers, engineers, and operations professionals who are all highly committed to excellence and deeply curious about the world. My coworkers are all brilliant and motivated problem solvers, such that the atmosphere at work feels very academic and energized. 2. Access to senior management. Even as Voleon has grown, it has retained a relatively flat management structure. Since I started at the firm as an associate right out of undergrad, I have consistently reported directly to C-level managers, providing me with an unparalleled opportunity to learn from highly accomplished business professionals in our industry. 3. Career development. A growing company like Voleon has many opportunities for advancement, and I have been given new responsibilities quickly that I know would have taken me longer to earn at another company. My managers have always taken my professional development seriously, and have been genuinely interested in my success. 4. Not your typical job in finance. We keep reasonable work hours, wear t-shirts and jeans, and the company feels more Silicon Valley than Wall Street. The office culture is highly collaborative and relatively relaxed. 5. Berkeley, CA and the Bay Area. We have a beautiful modern office space right in downtown Berkeley. There's no better place to live and work! San Francisco is a fun and beautiful city, only 25 minutes from Berkeley on BART. Berkeley is a lively college town with unrivaled dining options and some seriously breathtaking natural scenery up in the hills.
Cons
Shifting business needs, as with any growing company, have caused unexpected changes to my role at multiple times since I started at Voleon. But while this can be frustrating, it has also been a source of opportunity for my own development and advancement.