Modal
Small (~110)
OpenAI
Large (~3,500)
Best For
Modal
Best for: Systems engineers who want to build developer-loved cloud infrastructure with elite teammates
OpenAI
Best for: Professionals interested in OpenAI
Ratings
ModalOpenAI
4.0
4.5
Overall
3.8
3.6
Work-Life Balance
4.2
4.6
Culture & Values
3.8
4.5
Comp & Benefits
4.0
4.3
Senior Mgmt
3.5
4.3
Career Opps
👍 82% Recommend
👤 88% CEO Approval (Erik Bernhardsson)
👍 90% Recommend
👤 95% CEO Approval (CEO)
Culture Values
Modal only
🎧 Deep Work / Low Meetings🔓 Open Source Culture🧩 Wears Many Hats
OpenAI only
🌱 Learning & Growth🤖 Ethical AI / Safety💎 Strong Comp & Equity
Shared
⚙️ Engineering-Driven🚀 Ship Fast & Iterate🎯 Direct Product Impact
Pros & Cons
Modal
- World-class engineering team — includes creators of Luigi, Seaborn, and olympiad medalists
- High-impact product with 50x revenue growth — developers widely praise the platform
- Early-stage startup dynamics — roles shift quickly, requires high self-direction
- Limited HR infrastructure — benefits and career ladders still being developed
OpenAI
- Cutting-edge frontier AI research with world-class colleagues
- Elite compensation — top-tier TC and equity packages
- High-intensity environment — long hours and intense pace are the norm
- Internal politics and rapid org changes as the company scales
Bottom Line
Modal
Choose Modal if you want world-class engineering peers and 50x revenue growth — but expect early-stage startup dynamics.
OpenAI
OpenAI — check Glassdoor for detailed reviews.
Open Roles
Modal — 31 jobs
💻 Engineering
10
💼 Sales / GTM
5
👤 HR / People
3
🎨 Design
2
💰 Finance
2
📣 Marketing
2
🧠 ML / AI
2
⚙️ Operations
1
OpenAI — 624 jobs
💻 Engineering
292
💼 Sales / GTM
48
📋 Product
32
🧠 ML / AI
31
📊 Data
27
📣 Marketing
23
⚙️ Operations
17
⚖️ Legal
15
🎨 Design
11
💰 Finance
11
👤 HR / People
8
🎧 Support
4