Engineering Manager | Adept AI Global Negotiation Guide
Negotiation DNA: Growth Comp + Pre-IPO Equity | $1B+ Valuation (Amazon Acquired Team) | San Francisco | AI Agent Leadership
| Region | Base Salary | Equity (Pre-IPO/4yr) | Bonus | Total Comp |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $205K-$270K | $140K-$360K | — | $240K-$360K |
| Seattle | $199K-$262K | $140K-$360K | — | $234K-$352K |
| Remote US | $185K-$243K | $126K-$324K | — | $216K-$324K |
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Get My Playbook — $39 →Negotiation DNA Engineering Managers at Adept AI lead teams building the AI agent platform — from model development to agent execution infrastructure to enterprise deployment. EMs at Adept navigate the unique challenges of managing teams working on a novel technology paradigm — AI agents that interact with real software — requiring deep technical credibility and the leadership to attract and retain top talent in the competitive SF AI market.
Level Mapping: Adept EM = Amazon SDM III = Google M1-M2 = Meta M1
The Amazon Partnership Premium Amazon's resources and enterprise distribution support EM team building and product delivery.
Global Levers
- Novel Technology Leadership: "Leading teams building AI agents — a fundamentally new technology paradigm — requires exceptional technical vision and people leadership: $265K base and $350K equity/4yr."
- Amazon SDM Benchmark: "Amazon SDM III earns $245K+ base: $265K base."
- Competing Offers: "Google M1 offers $250K / $450K RSU. Meta M1 at $255K / $400K RSU. Adept: $265K base."
- Talent Attraction: "Recruiting AI talent in SF requires competitive EM comp: $260K base."
Negotiate Up Strategy: "I'm an engineering leader with AI team management and platform development experience. Holding Google M1 at $250K / $450K RSU. Adept's AI agent mission is uniquely compelling. To join: $265K base, $345K equity/4yr, and a $50K signing bonus. Floor is $235K."
Evidence & Sources
- Levels.fyi Amazon SDM and AI startup EM compensation (2025-2026)
- Glassdoor Adept AI salary reports
- Blind verified EM offers at AI companies (2025-2026)
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