[smeggy]

What you'll be doing is far removed from their maketing/sales department that you shouldn't worry. Personally I don't see their business practices as any worse than Apple.

 

[kdaq]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif Go for it. They're paying you, you're not buying their products. Besides, it would make me feel good inside knowing there was a Head-Fi mole at Bose. Maybe you could smuggle in a pair of Grados and subvert them. Bose has the research and manufacturing capability to produce good products. If their headphones were worth a damn, I'd buy a pair.

Just so you all know, if I ended up working there, there would always be a good rig on my desk in plain sight, such as Overture USB DAC -> Mini^3 -> HD-201, or Overture -> Millett Hybrid -> AKG K701.

 

[Baines93]

Go for it. Near you, and i presume pay is good enough, and you are unemplyed, and think you will enjoy the job.

Just like others have said, their business practices are no worse than Apple's, and you will be far from the marketing department.

Yeah, its Bose, but its something you enjoy and also links nicley with your hobby... Go for it.

Matt

 

[DouglasQuaid]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kdaq /img/forum/go_quote.gif I feel my employment in a company implies that I'm an advocate of their products.

One of my best friends was a district manager for the company in charge of selling T-mobile phones at malls across Southern California. He worked his way up from a booth seller to manager. He never once had a T-mobile cell phone.

What you do for a living is what you do for a living. It isn't always what you stand for, what you stand by, or often enough isn't even what you wanted to do in the first place. It is what you do to ensure that you keep yourself and loved ones surrounded by walls, food, and whatever toys you see fit.

Bose is a company. They don't make weapons. They don't club baby seals. They don't leave insect/rodent remains in their consumables. They haven't lobbied against women suffrage or sent flaming bags of poop to your mom's porch. The worst thing they've done is marketed average equipment in a way to make people believe it's the best there is.

Your job as a firmware engineer isn't to change the sound quality, but it's to make sure their products are easy to navigate and not freeze. In fact, you would be helping provide better quality to the people who paid for Bose products. You'd be helping them receive better value for their money. If helping people avoid the headaches of archaic menus and crash-laden electronics gives you a moral dilemma, perhaps you need counseling.

 

[ingwe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DouglasQuaid /img/forum/go_quote.gif Your job as a firmware engineer isn't to change the sound quality, but it's to make sure their products are easy to navigate and not freeze. In fact, you would be helping provide better quality to the people who paid for Bose products. You'd be helping them receive better value for their money. If helping people avoid the headaches of archaic menus and crash-laden electronics gives you a moral dilemma, perhaps you need counseling.

In an ideal world, yes. But it boils down to corporate culture, management temperament, etc whether or not OP can effect such lofty goals. OP should research company culture carefully.

OP: Just learn visual basic or c# and get a real job!


j/k

i'm doing embedded systems these days myself...

 

[dgbiker1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dvessel /img/forum/go_quote.gif They value their marketing department more then engineering? Who knows but it would be a good idea to get as much info on them as possible.

Their marketing is probably a key differentiator, but Bose puts a pretty big emphasis on engineering. Bose was started by an EE from MIT and probably has one of the most active R&D department in audio. Their research work is amazing (I know an engineer that used to work for Bose in the automotive division) and it's set up similarly to the research departments in universities. It's just not geared towards what the people on these types of forums want- engineered differently doesn't mean engineered badly.

The job of an engineer isn't to build the absolute best performing product (that would be a sign of a bad engineer in many contexts), it's to take the voice of your customers, business, manufacturing, etc and balance them to create a product that satisfies all their needs. I would say Bose is doing an excellent job at developing consumer level products that emphasize the things most recreational users care about (looks, bass, etc). Just look up the 80% rule, Bose targets the 80% while Grado, AKG, Beyer, etc target the 20%.

I actually looked for a job at Bose a couple months ago, and I would've been happy to work there. I don't find their products appealing (don't like the sound or the designs), but I understand the appeal for the mass market and don't see it as betraying the company or myself. The way I see it, they just compete for a different portion of the market.

 

[RedLeader]

Honestly, I don't see any reason why you wouldn't, at the very least, go for an interview. If the job really sounds like something you're interested in, try it out! If, after a few months, something about it doesn't sit right with you, such as R&D being looked down upon by upper management, co-workers who are blind to competing products or any other of a million red flags (YOUR red flags, not anyone elses) then you re-evaluate then. Look around for other jobs or try and fix whatever problems there are. You owe it to yourself and whoever else you're supporting (if there is anyone) to do what is best for YOU. At this point, it seems like applying for that job is what is best.

But hey, what do I know? I skipped out of electrical design and now I teach kindergarten kids, so YMMV.

 

[ingwe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedLeader /img/forum/go_quote.gif But hey, what do I know? I skipped out of electrical design and now I teach kindergarten kids, so YMMV.

You seem to know much, sir

Everything we need to know, we learn in kindergarten still holds true.

 

[kdaq]

Much of the reason I've posted this is to see if anyone steps up with a first- or second- person account of what it's like to work there. I'm not one to make assumptions.

I've sent them a resume and expressed interest in discussing an open position. Hopefully I'll get to learn a little something first-hand.

 

[Barry]

This may be a bit judgmental, but I am often amused by the perennial Bose bashing on this board. Their products make many people happy.

Every product has its market. For example, I don't happen to prefer Japanese food. It certainly does not mean that owners of Japanese restaurants are bad or dishonest people. It also does not mean that Japanese food is bad or overpriced. It also does not mean that the people who like Japanese food don't know any better. If they did, they would buy a hamburger? It just means that I don't like it and other people do.

Same thing with headphones. There are many phones that I don't like or like enough to pay the freight. But I am betting that some of you like those phones. It does not mean that you don't know any better, just that you look for something different than do I.

Bose makes an honest product that appeals very much to some people. They are happy that they own those products. I like it if they are happy. Bose should be commended for making products that many people like and should also be commended for communicating about their products that let people who would like their products find out about them.

I do wish that those of us who have specific tastes in headphones, hi-fi, etc. would not speak badly of others who have different sets of priorities or preferences and not speak badly of the manufacturers who design or sell such products. I know many people who are very happy with their Bose products - so much so that they enjoy owning the product and do not actively seek the best product of the month out of dissatisfaction and instead enjoy what they have.

This is the long version of suggesting that if the job is interesting and the work environment seems positive, I hope that you apply for and get the job - and feel pride in contributing to products that many people enjoy. Good luck!!

 

[wavoman]

I agree 100% with dgbiker1.

Bose does nothing wrong, they pitch their products honestly and deliver what they say they will. They do not claim to be the ultimate in SQ for us fussy people ... they claim correctly that they blend all the SQ you "need" with ease of use, ease of install, and nice design that fits with modern decor.

And they do. I put a Bose system in an elder-care center with room for exactly one console box and tiny speakers. It changed the life (not an exaggeration) of several residents, who can now listen to opera (I loaded the CD changer; they will never touch it). My wife has Bose. Yea, she agrees that the sound from even my portable rig (Cowon+Predator) is far better, but doesn't really care.

OP: C is a vanishing art, and if Bose will have you, great. My wife and I are C programmers, and now (as we close in on retirement age) we run a software company, about 80 people. Our days are numbered. It's now all about C# on the client side, JAVA or C++ on the server, except in your specialty, embedded systems. Good luck, and if you ever learn JAVA send me a PM. We have a lab in Burlington MA.

And finally, if you do take a job at Bose, do not follow thru on your idea of using non-Bose components on your desk at work. Trust me, I am now management, and this will send a different signal than you think. It will make you less effective in changing their view of high-end SQ, not more. Use Bose at Bose -- everyone else will. You can put uncompressed files on the proper generation iPod and listen thru the Bose doc using Bose cans ... fine for work. Then keep a line-out cable, a great pocket amp, and quality phones in your backpack, and someday, at the right moment, say "Hey, here is another way to listen to an iPod" etc.etc. Sorry, don't mean to preach, but you will hurt yourself at Bose if you actually went thru with it and this org is about helping each other!

 

[trickywombat]

I don't really see the problem with working for Bose. It is not an unethical company.

They've picked a target market, and have been very successful without false advertising (albeit with lots of hype, but that's part of advertising). Never at any point did Bose claim they are the best value for the money. Then again, "best" and "value" are highly subjective.

My SUV came with a Bose sound system, and it was nothing that great in my mind. The QC headphones are comfortable but sound terrible - but the advertising does not claim they are the best-sounding headphones. The only Bose product I've used that I'm happy with are the aviation headsets.

At the end of the day, a job is just a job. We go home to hang out with our family, friends and our Head-Fi gear. Who cares what happens at work? If the job will pay for Head-Fi gear, go ahead and use Bose components on your desk, go ahead and work for Bose. I doubt every chef works in a restaurant because that's his/her favorite place to eat.

 

[aegid]

While morals and opinions should not be thrown away for a job, at the same time those morals and opinions should not get in the way of getting a job. And at the least, it'll give you insight into how Bose does their thing and maybe learn a trick or two from their own veterans. Any experience is a good experience.

 

[ingwe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wavoman /img/forum/go_quote.gif And finally, if you do take a job at Bose, do not follow thru on your idea of using non-Bose components on your desk at work. Trust me, I am now management, and this will send a different signal than you think.

feh! I wouldn't work at a company with management so shallow.

 

[Edwood]

I wish you the best of luck!

If you get the job you'll get a new custom title:

Member of the Trade:
BOSE

-Ed