Ex-Meta Distinguished Engineer Requested Demotion at Career Peak

A leading engineer in the big tech industry requested a demotion at the height of his career. Philip Su, who achieved the esteemed ‘distinguished engineer’ or IC9 rank at Meta and OpenAI, stated on ‘The Peterman Pod’ podcast that promotions lost their luster as his career advanced. “The thrill of the promotion itself was no longer the same as when I was younger,” Su told show host Ryan Peterman. “When I was younger, because I sought after those grades, those measurable metrics, I very much felt great every time I got promoted.” However, by level seven, advancement no longer felt like an absolute victory. “It wasn’t all roses to me anymore, the idea of getting promoted, because I realized that each promotion also came with much higher expectations,” Su said. “Expectations that I was no longer positive that I was going to deliver well.” Su, who is now the CEO and founder of Superphonic, an AI-powered podcast player for iOS and iPadOS, ultimately requested a demotion at Meta from IC9 to IC7. He mentioned that working at a higher level left him feeling drained, as if the ‘Eye of Sauron’ was constantly monitoring his performance. “The higher level you are, the more that you feel that intensity all the time,” Su said, adding that companies have the right to question if highly compensated employees are providing sufficient value. At Meta, an IC9, or level E9, is one step above a Principal Engineer and one promotion away from becoming a Meta Fellow. According to Levels.fyi, a compensation data platform, an IC9 engineer at Meta can earn approximately $4.3 million per year, which includes a base salary of about $404,500, $3.8 million in stock grants, and a bonus of at least $110,000. In contrast, Levels.fyi estimates that an IC7 engineer at Meta might make around $1.63 million annually. Descending the corporate ladder was not easy. Su mentioned that it was hard seeing former subordinates surpass him. However, he noted that he came to understand that a lower-level position could provide enjoyable work without demanding constant peak performance. Su advised that individuals pursuing significant career goals should ask themselves a straightforward question: What will they do after achieving it? “Now pretend you’ve just reached it. What do you do next?” Su said. “If you have a good answer for that, then you’re fine.” Su’s decision indicates a wider move away from the conventional corporate path. A Randstad survey from late 2024 revealed that 42% of US workers would refuse a promotion if given. Additionally, an Apple engineer previously informed Themoneytimes that she experienced burnout and required a career hiatus after being promoted to a manager position. For Su, he said the lesson is that every career has a ceiling, and attaining it doesn’t have to be the objective. “You know what?” Su said. “Like maybe this ultimately is my final level.”