Relocating - need advice

[AntiriadElectronics]

Hi All,

Pardon me because this is off-topic, but it is important. I have been asked
to move with my company to San Diego California, and I need some reference
point to compare what they are offering. Can anyone tell me:

- What ballpark base salary (before benefits and 401(k)) should a
Computer/Electronics engineer with about 5 years experience and detailed
product knowledge for a product support / technical sales role expect.
- What ballpark (if different from above) would a Senior Application
Engineer expect?

I have experience in FPGA/Embedded and PCB design at a systems level, with
reasonable coding ability in C and VHDL.

Thanks for any advice you may give - I appreciate it!

(Anonymity may be required on my part, so forgive me for not stating my
name)

 

[Winfield Hill]

AntiriadElectronics wrote...

Pardon me because this is off-topic, but it is important. I have been
asked to move with my company to San Diego California, and I need some
reference point to compare what they are offering. Can anyone tell me:

San Diego is expensive. It's also well-built-up and crowded, with good
but full freeways, etc. Whether its fabulous weather, etc., is worth
the rest is a function of where you're moving from, and what you like.

 

[AntiriadElectronics]

Hi Win,

Thanks for your reply. I will be moving from Sydney Australia. Weather is
similar but I have no idea about cost of living - as you say, San Diego is
expensive, and my initial research over the web has confirmed this
impression. Rents and mortgages are very high there, and the area in which I
will be working is one of the more expensive ones (many houses cost over $1M
USD). Sydney is also expensive but I don't think as much as San Diego as far
as raw costs of accommodation. I guess what I am really asking is how much
do Electronics/Computer engineers get paid there... Any idea?

 

[henryF]

$50K to $90K or more, USD
you can look it up on line too, several places.
You may be able to get some calif ads too with Sal range via
Newspapers on line.
Call a head hunter in SD, or calif.
SD is one of the nicest places in the USA,
that is why prices are high
Also USA is in a housing boom right now, but it should deflate.
New loan laws went into effect at beginning of the year, which actually is
not good for the borrower.
I would rent for a while.
water is cold. no reef, great surf
Beautiful weather year round.
Your company may offer a cost of living adjustment, hopefully.

Hi Win,

Thanks for your reply. I will be moving from Sydney Australia. Weather is
similar but I have no idea about cost of living - as you say, San Diego is
expensive, and my initial research over the web has confirmed this
impression. Rents and mortgages are very high there, and the area in which I
will be working is one of the more expensive ones (many houses cost over $1M
USD). Sydney is also expensive but I don't think as much as San Diego as far
as raw costs of accommodation. I guess what I am really asking is how much
do Electronics/Computer engineers get paid there... Any idea?

 

[JeffM]

Also USA is in a housing boom right now, but it should deflate.

henryF

Don't hold your breath.
"Buy land. They're not making it any more." --Mark Twain

 

[Bob Eldred]

Hi All,

Pardon me because this is off-topic, but it is important. I have been asked
to move with my company to San Diego California, and I need some reference
point to compare what they are offering. Can anyone tell me:

- What ballpark base salary (before benefits and 401(k)) should a
Computer/Electronics engineer with about 5 years experience and detailed
product knowledge for a product support / technical sales role expect.
- What ballpark (if different from above) would a Senior Application
Engineer expect?

I have experience in FPGA/Embedded and PCB design at a systems level, with
reasonable coding ability in C and VHDL.

Thanks for any advice you may give - I appreciate it!

(Anonymity may be required on my part, so forgive me for not stating my
name)

Be prepared for high prices. Housing is very expensive to buy but rents are
a little cheaper depending on area. Gas is high but other costs are more or
less ok. But, the high price of housing also means a high return when sold
or moving up. Some people have actually made more money just in the increase
in equity of their houses than they make in their salaries! That's one
reason prices are high, because many are using real estate as an investment
because of the recent excellent returns. Some are predicting a downturn or
bubble burst so there is some risk but there is no signs of it yet. A lot of
people live here so there is a lot of congestion but not as bad as LA.
There's a lot to do, outdoor stuff, boating, fishing, hiking, off roading,
camping . There's mountains and desert near by plus Mexico and miles of
beaches. There are thousands of resturaunts, clubs, museums, symphony
orchestra, opera and two professional sports teams. You should visit the
area and look around also contact the chamber of commerce for specifics. I
can't give you salaries. The weather is great but it is a dry climate, there
is virtually no rain in the summer. The only green is where it is irrigated
during much of the year. Good luck. If your company is offering to move you,
what have you got to loose?
Bob

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

AntiriadElectronics wrote...

San Diego is expensive. It's also well-built-up and crowded, with good
but full freeways, etc. Whether its fabulous weather, etc., is worth
the rest is a function of where you're moving from, and what you like.

The San Diego area is one of the most attractive in North America,
IMHO.


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

 

[AntiriadElectronics]

Wow - I didn't expect a response from anyone so soon - thank you all very
much it is very helpful. Some of the ideas of where to find information in
particular

Best Regards to aLL.

 

[Fred Bloggs]

Pardon me because this is off-topic, but it is important. I have been asked
to move with my company to San Diego California, and I need some reference
point to compare what they are offering.

The place is an overcrowded cesspool with very high crime rates, rampant
government waste and corruption and record inefficiency providing
services, and a pathetically underpowered and crumbling infrastructure.
This applies to ALL of California, a fetid dump. You would be better off
moving to Africa, or Texas.

 

[Fred Bloggs]

The place is an overcrowded cesspool with very high crime rates, rampant
government waste and corruption and record inefficiency providing
services, and a pathetically underpowered and crumbling infrastructure.
This applies to ALL of California, a fetid dump. You would be better off
moving to Africa, or Texas.

Oh yeah- environmentally California is the most toxic place in the
entire US. You will be exposed to the worst possible pollutants in every
form. These pollutants are produced locally and there is the toxic cloud
moving out of China that hits California first. It is a very filthy and
dirty place, and your drinking water will most likely contain human
feces in significant amounts.

 

[Bob Eldred]

The place is an overcrowded cesspool with very high crime rates, rampant
government waste and corruption and record inefficiency providing
services, and a pathetically underpowered and crumbling infrastructure.
This applies to ALL of California, a fetid dump. You would be better off
moving to Africa, or Texas.

Yeah right! Its so crowded nobody wants to live here (sic). That's why
prices are so high, because nobody wants to be here. Actually I wish more
people felt that way and would stay away from our over crowded cesspool.
But, that's not to be.
Bob

 

[Fred Bloggs]

Actually I wish more
people felt that way and would stay away from our over crowded cesspool.
But, that's not to be.

Not to worry- I wouldn't even visit the place on all expenses paid
luxury travel. I did live in the Mojave near Palm Springs for a year-
that was not too bad, but the urban areas are dumps.

 

[Fred Bloggs]

Not to worry- I wouldn't even visit the place on all expenses paid
luxury travel. I did live in the Mojave near Palm Springs for a year-
that was not too bad, but the urban areas are dumps.

Oh yeah- and Palm Springs is a hedonist dump too.

 

[martin griffith]

Oh yeah- environmentally California is the most toxic place in the
entire US. You will be exposed to the worst possible pollutants in every
form. These pollutants are produced locally and there is the toxic cloud
moving out of China that hits California first. It is a very filthy and
dirty place, and your drinking water will most likely contain human
feces in significant amounts.

San Diego water has a bit too much radium 228 at 0.73 to
1.44picocuries/L
but only 1 water sample was found to have E.coli in 2004
but most pollutants seem to be well below the Maximum Contaminant
Level


martin

 

[Jim Thompson]

Oh yeah- and Palm Springs is a hedonist dump too.

Whatsa matter, Fred, couldn't afford it ?

...Jim Thompson

 

[JeffM]

move with my company to San Diego California

The place is an overcrowded cesspool with very high crime rates,
rampant government waste and corruption
and record inefficiency providing services,
and a pathetically underpowered and crumbling infrastructure.
This applies to ALL of California
Fred Bloggs

Don't sugar-coat it Fred, give it to him straight.
Hyperbole, I think.
He *will* have to deal with Liberals
trying to spend all his money to try to make the place Paradise.

A current news story: (They may have to put the town in hock.)
http://news.google.com/news?q=San-Diego+fiscal

My favorite story of the week:
http://news.google.com/news?q=San-Diego+mayors
..
..
:environmentally California is the most toxic place in the entire US.
: Fred Bloggs
:
Compared to New Jersey (chemically-based industry)
or Louisiana (petrochemicals)?
Please cite.

 

[Fred Bloggs]

Whatsa matter, Fred, couldn't afford it ?

...Jim Thompson

Lemme see, at the time I must have been earning $75/month, so you tell me

 

[Fred Bloggs]

Don't sugar-coat it Fred, give it to him straight.
Hyperbole, I think.
He *will* have to deal with Liberals
trying to spend all his money to try to make the place Paradise.

A current news story: (They may have to put the town in hock.)
http://news.google.com/news?q=San-Diego+fiscal

My favorite story of the week:
http://news.google.com/news?q=San-Diego+mayors

Right- that whole state is in a nose dive.

.
.
:environmentally California is the most toxic place in the entire US.
: Fred Bloggs
:
Compared to New Jersey (chemically-based industry)
or Louisiana (petrochemicals)?
Please cite.

California has been poisoning the Colorado river for years with
agro-chemicals and other contaminants like heavy metals pumped from ever
increasing depths to triple crop areas nearly depleted of top soil. The
sheer magnitude of density automotive exhaust relative to residential
areas puts them over the top of any other state.

 

[Jim Thompson]

Lemme see, at the time I must have been earning $75/month, so you tell me

I remember that sort of income, when I was a student.

My daughter's-in-law parents live in Palm Springs. But he's a
millionaire seller of Harley's ;-)

...Jim Thompson

 

[John Larkin]

The place is an overcrowded cesspool with very high crime rates, rampant
government waste and corruption and record inefficiency providing
services, and a pathetically underpowered and crumbling infrastructure.
This applies to ALL of California, a fetid dump. You would be better off
moving to Africa, or Texas.

Funny you should mention that, I just imported an engineer from Texas
to San Francisco (met'em on this very ng!) and he seems to like it
here so far. We're designing some awesome stuff, too.

Granting a bit of corruption and somewhat more inefficiency,
California still works very well, simply because there's so much money
here. And it's still beautiful. San Diego is a bit warm and beachy for
my tastes (I like the cool, gray fog up here) but it is a very nice
place by most anybody's standards.

John