Software Engineer | Vast Data Global Negotiation Guide

Negotiation DNA: Pre-IPO Equity + Secondary Liquidity + Base | AI Data Platform | $1B Secondary at $25B Valuation | Market-Rate Comp

Region	Base Salary	Equity (Options/RSU est.)	Bonus	Total Comp
New York	$130K–$165K	$25K–$50K	5–10%	$168K–$232K
Tel Aviv	₪420K–₪540K	$20K–$45K	5–10%	$155K–$215K
Remote US	$120K–$155K	$25K–$50K	5–10%	$158K–$220K

Negotiation DNA

Vast Data builds the universal data platform for AI — the storage infrastructure that eliminates the data bottleneck for AI training and inference at scale. As a Software Engineer, you are writing the foundational code that powers a platform valued at $25B, serving the most demanding AI workloads on the planet. Your contributions directly impact the core product that has made Vast Data one of the fastest-growing infrastructure companies in history.

Level Mapping:

• Vast Data Software Engineer = Google L3–L4 / Meta E3–E4 / Amazon SDE I–II / Microsoft 59–61 / Apple ICT2–ICT3

$1B Secondary at $25B — The Liquid Wealth Premium

Vast Data's February 2026 raise of $1B at a $25B valuation included a significant secondary component, meaning employees were able to sell existing shares for real cash before any IPO. This is not speculative startup equity — there is a proven, liquid market for Vast Data shares. As a candidate, you should negotiate aggressively on share count, not just on paper value, because these shares can be converted to cash through secondary sales.

Use this script in negotiations: "My equity isn't paper money — the $1B secondary at $25B proves there's a liquid market for Vast Data shares. I should negotiate for share count, not just paper value, because these shares can be converted to cash through secondary sales. Other pre-IPO companies offer equity that may never be liquid, but Vast Data has already demonstrated a secondary market. I want my offer to reflect that proven liquidity."

When negotiating, push for a specific number of shares rather than a dollar value of equity. Dollar values can be manipulated by adjusting the strike price or the valuation benchmark. Share count is concrete, and with the secondary market proven at $25B, you know what those shares are worth today — and potentially more at IPO.

Global Levers

1. Share Count Over Dollar Value: "I'd like to negotiate on share count rather than dollar value. Given the $25B secondary valuation, I can calculate the real worth myself — and I want to ensure my equity stake reflects my contribution to the platform."
2. Competing Offer Leverage: "I have a competing offer from [Company] at $X total comp. Vast Data's equity upside is compelling, but I need the base and share count to bridge the gap so I'm not taking a discount to join."
3. Signing Bonus to Bridge Year-One Gap: "Since equity vesting typically has a one-year cliff, I'd like a signing bonus of $15K–$25K to bridge the first-year compensation gap compared to my current role."
4. Remote Work Premium: "If the role is based in New York but I'm working remotely, I'd expect the equity component to remain pegged to New York levels, since my output is location-independent."

Negotiate Up Strategy: "I'm excited about Vast Data's mission to build the data platform for AI. Based on my research and competing offers in the $200K–$230K total comp range, I'd like to see the base move to $155K with a share grant of [X shares] based on the $25B secondary valuation, plus a $20K signing bonus. The secondary liquidity at $25B makes equity here uniquely valuable, and I want to make sure both sides recognize that. My accept-at floor is $190K total comp with a minimum of [Y shares]. Below that, I'd need to go with my competing offer."

Evidence & Sources

• Levels.fyi 2025–2026 compensation data for pre-IPO infrastructure companies
• Vast Data $1B secondary round at $25B valuation (February 2026)
• Glassdoor and Blind salary reports for storage/infrastructure engineering roles
• Comparable equity benchmarks from Databricks, Snowflake (pre-IPO), and Confluent