Overall Score: 38/100 Verdict: Below-market cash with equity that's too small to offset the risk of a Series A startup. Category Scores: Compensation: 32 | Equity: 30 | Growth/Career: 55 | Benefits: 40 | Risk: 35 Red Flags: Base pay is meaningfully below market. $95k for a 3-year engineer in Austin is on the low end even accounting for lower cost of living compared to coastal cities. No signing bonus at all, which is unusual even at early-stage startups and doesn't offset the below-market base. 0.05% equity at Series A is a small stake for the risk you're taking on. Series A companies fail often, and this amount won't move the needle even in a good outcome unless the company becomes a major success. Standard 1-year cliff means you get nothing if you leave or are let go before the first year, common but worth knowing going in. Strengths: Title and scope reasonably match 3 years of experience, no obvious level mismatch. Talking Points: "Given the base is below market for this role and city, I'd like to discuss bringing it closer to [market range] before I can move forward." "Is there room for a signing bonus to help bridge the gap, even a modest one, given there's no cash bonus structure otherwise?" "Can you walk me through the last funding round's valuation? I want to understand what 0.05% actually represents before I weigh the equity seriously." Verdict: This offer asks you to take on real startup risk without being compensated for it in either cash or equity. The base alone would be a stretch, and the equity stake is too small to meaningfully change that math even in a strong outcome. If you're excited about the company specifically, this is negotiable territory, not a walk-away, but sign nothing until the base and equity both move.