You're likely familiar with the acronym FAANG, representing what was once a powerhouse collective of tech giants: Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, and Google. The acronym has since evolved to include Microsoft, Meta (formerly Facebook), and Alphabet (Google's Parent Company), while omitting Netflix, resulting in the formation of MAMAA. 

Despite the challenges faced by tech companies last year, specifically the layoffs of 226,000 workers, tech companies within the MAMAA group are poised for a hiring rebound in the coming years. These four cities—Austin, Seattle, San Diego, and New York—are predicted to emerge as magnetizing forces for engineers, driven by the desire of MAMAA companies to capitalize on cutting-edge fields. Let's explore the presence of each MAMAA company in these key hubs and the areas of expertise in demand for each market.

1. Austin

Microsoft

Microsoft has an existing corporate sales office in downtown Austin that has been around for over two decades! As Austin continues to grow as a hotspot for engineering talent, Microsoft will seek out talent with these core areas of expertise.

• Cloud Computing
• Hardware Assembly 
  
  

Alphabet

Alphabet has a significant presence in downtown Austin and has recently begun construction on a new neighboring building, nicknamed the 'Sailboat Building' due to its architectural design reminiscent of—you guessed it—a sailboat. There has been speculation that Alphabet will sublet the building but has shown no indication. For now, these areas of expertise are highly coveted for this Austin location.

• Web development
• Machine Learning
  
  

Meta

Meta is subleasing more office space in Downtown Austin – 120,000 square feet, to be exact – as they've laid off hundreds of workers in the Austin office. Despite this, they continue to hire engineers with expertise in these critical areas.

• ASIC Design, Development, or Validation
• Data Science
  
  

Apple

Apple has recently purchased an office building situated in the vibrant Westlake area, approximately 10 miles west of downtown Austin. They are also constructing a billion-dollar campus in Northwest Austin – hinting at an expanded workforce. Here are some engineering specializations that Apple is targeting in the area.

• Embedded Hardware
• CPU Design / Microarchitecture
  
  

Amazon

Amazon is eyeing a significant expansion in Austin, with a plan to hire 2,000 workers for their new facility set to open this year. Austin already employs over 3,000 tech and corporate in the metro area. These competency areas will be highly sought after for Amazon in the region.

• Networking Protocols
• Data Science

2. Seattle

Microsoft 

Microsoft will not renew its lease expiring in June 2024 for their Bellevue office, located 10 miles from downtown Seattle. Opting instead for a remote workplace model, providing greater flexibility for its employees. They are now targeting these specific specialties on a 100% remote basis while maintaining ties to the Seattle area.

• Cloud Computing
• Network Security
  
  

Alphabet

Alphabet plans to build a new campus in Seattle to complement its existing campus in Kirkland – approximately 10 miles from downtown Seattle. As Alphabet expands its footprint in Seattle, these core engineering areas will be targeted.

• Mechanical Engineering
• Product Design
• Data Structures / Algorithms
  
  

Meta

Meta plans to sublease their Bellevue office space near downtown Seattle to create the 'workplace of the future.' This decision is a significant shift, especially since they opened the office only a few months prior. Despite the sublease, Meta continues to recruit talent for these key engineering areas remotely from the Seattle area.

• Generative AI
• Computer Vision
• Data Science
  
  

Apple

Apple is expanding its presence in Seattle by significantly increasing hiring efforts, aiming to add 2,000 new jobs over the next half-decade. The company is optimistic about the economic prospects and the abundance of talent in the Seattle area. As a result, they are targeting these engineering specialties.

• Machine Learning
• Data Science
  
  

Amazon

Amazon was famously founded in Seattle and remains the company's largest corporate presence by a wide margin. However, the number of Amazon employees in the city diminished by 5,000 last year, amounting to 50,000. Despite discouraging numbers, construction has begun on an office tower in neighboring Bellevue, highlighting the continued importance of the Seattle metro area as a critical hub for Amazon operations. Here are the engineering competencies they are targeting.

• Machine Learning
• Mechanical Engineering
• Network Security

3. San Diego

Microsoft 

Microsoft's presence in the metro area exemplifies the undeniable growth of San Diego's tech scene. Here is the area of expertise that Microsoft is targeting in San Diego.

• Network Security
  
  

Alphabet

Google – the subsidiary of Alphabet – plans to double its office space in San Diego, reflecting the company's expanding presence and investment in the region. Pay attention to these areas of expertise that Alphabet is actively targeting for their San Diego office.

• Power Grid Design
• Machine Learning
  
  

Meta

Meta has established an office in San Diego. The company has prioritized the recruitment of embedded and wireless engineers for this branch. Here are the specialty fields they are actively targeting to fill open roles.

• Embedded Architecture
• Telecommunications
  
  

Apple

Apple recently announced that it would be closing its San Diego branch. The 121-person team working on enhancing Siri are being asked to relocate to Austin, Texas. Despite Apple's impending departure, San Diego remains a hub for engineering talent.

Amazon

The Amazon San Diego office has an interesting backstory. A senior manager at Amazon Web Services in Irvine noticed a tech talent hub forming near UC San Diego and the University of California Irvine. He composed a persuasive six-page memo encouraging leaders to establish a San Diego office. Today, the office is home to Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Amazon Game Studios teams, led by the same forward-thinking employee. Here are the areas of expertise they are targeting.

• Machine Learning
• Gaming Design

4. New York City

Microsoft 

Microsoft has established a significant presence in New York City. The Microsoft Technology Center – west of Time Square - is home to nearly 1,000 employees. Labeled as a 'hub for innovation,' these key engineering competencies are in high demand for their New York office.

• Machine Learning
• Systems Design
• Embedded Software Development
  
  

Alphabet

Alphabet, the parent company of Google, maintains a substantial footprint in New York City. St. John's Terminal – the newest New York office that opened in February - is home to nearly 14,000 employees, double the number of employees from just six years ago. Let's look at the areas of expertise Alphabet wants to bring in for their New York office.

• Machine Learning
• Networking Protocols
  
  

Meta

Meta is scaling back its presence in New York City's prime Hudson Yards location to focus on building a 'best-in-class remote experience.' Despite this, they continue hiring in the area for these critical areas of expertise.

•   Machine Learning
•   Application Development
  
  

Apple

In 2020, Apple signed a new lease agreement to expand its footprint in Manhattan, building upon its existing presence in the Flatiron neighborhood. Notably, this lease agreement spans five years, with its end quickly approaching in 2025. Here is the area of expertise Apple is targeting for their New York office.

• Cloud Computing
    

Amazon

Amazon's new office, Hank, opened last year in Manhattan and is set to house over 2,000 employees. This move will lead to an increased hiring of engineers to staff the expanded office space. Here are the competency areas they are targeting.

• Machine Learning
• Data Science

Final Thoughts

Austin, Seattle, San Diego, and New York are expected to grow as key hubs for engineering talent. Innovative fields are presumed to be the primary catalyst for the growth of engineering jobs in these markets - as evidenced by the frequent postings for AI/ML positions.

If you're seeking experienced engineering talent in any of these four markets, contact us here to access expertise that drives innovation.