Meta engineer reached a $4.3 million-a-year level, then asked for a demotion: ‘The thrill’ faded

Philip Su reached Meta and OpenAI’s prestigious IC9 level before asking Meta to move him back to IC7. He said promotions eventually brought heavier expectations and exhaustion.

For many technology professionals, reaching the highest levels of engineering is considered the ultimate career milestone. For Philip Su, however, getting there eventually made him question whether climbing further was worth it, Business Insider reported.

Su, who reached the prestigious “distinguished engineer” or IC9 level at Meta and OpenAI, said on “The Peterman Pod” podcast that promotions gradually became less rewarding as his career progressed.

"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."

Why Su asked for a demotion

By level seven, Su said promotions came with a different set of considerations.

"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 CEO and founder of Superphonic, an AI-powered podcast player for iOS and iPadOS, eventually asked Meta to move him from IC9 to IC7.

He described the experience of working at the higher level as exhausting, saying it sometimes felt as though the "Eye of Sauron" was constantly scrutinizing his performance.

"The higher level you are, the more that you feel that intensity all the time," Su said, adding that companies are entitled to question whether highly paid employees are delivering enough value.

What does an IC9 engineer earn?

According to Levels.fyi, a compensation estimate platform, an IC9 engineer at Meta can earn roughly $4.3 million annually, including about $404,500 in base salary, $3.8 million in stock grants and a bonus of at least $110,000.

By comparison, Levels.fyi estimates that an IC7 Meta engineer could earn around $1.63 million a year in total compensation.

Su's decision to step down was not without difficulty. He said it was hard to watch colleagues who had once been below him eventually move ahead.

Still, he came to see value in having a role that allowed him to do work he enjoyed without requiring him to operate continually at the edge of his capabilities.

What happens after reaching the career goal?

Su also offered a broader reflection for people pursuing major professional milestones.

"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."

His experience comes amid wider questions about traditional career progression. A late 2024 Randstad survey found that 42% of US workers would decline a promotion if offered. Business Insider has also previously reported on an Apple engineer who experienced burnout after moving into a management role.

For Su, the takeaway was not necessarily that reaching the highest level is undesirable, but that it does not have to be everyone's objective.

"You know what?" Su said. "Like maybe this ultimately is my final level."

About the Author

Anjali Thakur is a Senior Assistant Editor with Mint, reporting on trending news, entertainment and health, with a focus on stories driving digital conversations. Her work involves spotting early signals across news cycles and social media, sharpening stories for SEO and Google Discover, and mentoring young editors in digital-first newsroom practices. She is known for turning fast-moving developments—whether news-driven or culture-led—into clear, tightly edited journalism without compromising editorial rigour.<br><br> Before joining Mint, she was Deputy News Editor at NDTV.com, where she led the Trending section and covered viral news, breaking developments and human-interest stories. She has also worked as Chief Sub-Editor at India.com (Zee Media) and as Senior Correspondent with Exchange4media and Hindustan Times’ HT City, reporting on media, advertising, entertainment, health, lifestyle and popular culture.<br><br> Anjali holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Miranda House, and is currently pursuing an MBA, strengthening her understanding of business strategy and digital media economics. Her writing balances newsroom discipline with a clear instinct for what resonates with readers.

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