Pros
Working at Xperi has been a phenomenal experience, all pros and cons considered. This was my first industry job after completing a doctoral programme in academia. Despite joining during the Covid lockdowns in 2021 and working remotely from Dublin, my manager made their best effort to create a highly cohesive team and kept us focused on building a unique technology at that time. The colleagues in the Galway office were the best part of the job. In 2023, Xperi introduced a great social activity where we had the chance to meet a randomly selected colleague from a different department for a coffee. This is a feature of a highly creative company, as people are exposed to new ideas and perspectives from colleagues they would not typically interact with outside their business unit. In addition, participating in multiple events organised by the Women in Tech ERG was a very positive experience, fostering a spirit of inclusivity. There were all-staff meetings every quarter, which were typically very informative, but somewhat focused on financial aspects and new sales contracts, rather than on mission and goals. Matt Milne's contagiously energetic attitude complemented Jon Kirchner's calmness well, while the Q&A sessions with Kris and Jon were cheerful and covered most of the employees' questions, even the more challenging ones. The compensation package was fair, and the company treated me with respect until my last day.
Cons
It was not always easy for me to describe to friends and colleagues what Xperi actually is or why it exists as a company. At times, it appeared as a conglomerate of standalone brands without a unifying story. The mission "We make the ordinary extraordinary" can also come across as being generic. However, the company has recently taken important steps towards redefining its identity, and it has the potential to leapfrog into the ranks of a highly valuable company in the near future.