Negotiation Playbook

Embedded Engineer Role

Louisville, KY • Reference Sheet

Interview negotiation reference sheet for Louisville KY embedded engineer role

Target salary
$105k
Start discussion at $120k
Floor salary
$95k
With full benefits included
Benefits gap to fill
~$10k
Needed if base lands at floor
Housing & relocation push hard
Relocation stipend
One-time payment to cover moving from Portland to Louisville
$5k–$8k
Temporary housing allowance
To cover 1 to 3 months of housing while looking for a permanent home
$1,500/mo
Down payment assistance
Optional. Preserves investment capital if mortgage rate beats portfolio yield. First-time buyer, also exploring Kentucky programs independently.
$10k–$15k
Job security push hard
Severance clause
Applies only to termination without cause
3–6 months
Role scope in writing
Prevents scope creep into responsibilities outside the contract
required
Probationary criteria
Need clear, written performance benchmarks to avoid subjective reviews
required
Equipment & lab nice to have
Hardware/components budget
Annual allowance for bench parts and prototyping gear
$2k–$3k/yr
Home lab allowance
Only if remote work is part of the weekly routine
$1k–$2k
CAD/EDA license
Altium or KiCAD licensing fees covered by the company
Healthcare push hard
Premium coverage
Fully covered premiums, no cost sharing. Highly relevant if base salary is lower.
100%
Dental & vision
Standard inclusion instead of an extra add-on
included
Misc propose proactively
Open source & side projects
Explicit IP exclusion for personal projects built outside of work hours on my own hardware.
IP exclusion
Conference/travel budget
Teardown, NIME, ASSETS. Keeps my professional presence active, which highlights company talent.
$2k–$3k/yr
Dispute resolution clause propose proactively
"In the event of any employment dispute, both parties agree to attempt resolution in good faith through the following steps before pursuing legal action: (1) direct written communication between employee and direct manager; (2) escalation to HR if unresolved within 14 days; (3) neutral third-party mediation if still unresolved. Litigation is a last resort."
Frame this as a mutual protection. It shows low-drama intent and resolves potential corporate anxiety upfront.

Reverse Interviewing

"Interviews are a two-way street. What should I be asking them?"
Core Instincts
  • How is cashflow looking, and how far in the green are we? (A rough estimate is fine.)
    Pointed but professional. Signals you're actively evaluating their stability.
  • If the team got together to complain, what would the loudest complaint be?
    Reveals actual cultural friction points without being aggressive.
  • What's caused people to not work out here in the past?
    Discussion topic. Provides direct insight into expectations and management styles.
On the work itself
  • What does the current test setup look like? What would I be replacing or building on top of?
  • What is the biggest unsolved problem on the bench right now?
On the team
  • How does Darin prefer to communicate day-to-day (Slack, tickets, or something else)?
  • How long has the core team been together?
On growth
  • Is there a path toward owning a subsystem or product direction, or is this primarily execution work?
On the CEO situation
  • "How stable is the team structure right now?"