Pros
I joined Nubank seeking international experience, adventure, and the opportunity to work across cultures — and in those respects the role delivered. The quarterly travel to São Paulo was genuinely exciting and broadened my perspective. That said, there are important practical realities that US-based engineers should understand before accepting an offer.
* Decent equity package and signing bonus upon joining, though base salary was below market rate for the level and experience expected
* Interesting mission — bringing a successful Brazilian fintech model to the US market is genuinely exciting
* Good benefits including health coverage and mental health support
* Exposure to an international work environment — I improved my Portuguese significantly and gained meaningful cross-cultural experience
* The interview process is notably easier than most US tech companies I have interviewed at — not just FAANG. Expect a simple coding task and a basic system design question. If you are used to rigorous US hiring bars, you will find this process surprisingly light.
Cons
* If you are a US-based engineer joining from a company like Amazon, Google, or similar, be aware that you may be embedded with a fully Brazilian offshore team rather than a US-based one. The cultural, organizational, and communication differences are significant and the ramp-up is considerably steeper than a typical US tech role. It is also worth considering that compensation structures differ significantly between US-based and Brazil-based employees. If you are a US hire embedded with a Brazilian team, be aware that this pay disparity — which is common in such arrangements — can create subtle but real friction in team dynamics. My strong advice to anyone receiving an offer: ask explicitly which team you will be joining and push for a US-based team if possible — it will make a meaningful difference in your experience and success.
* While English is the official company language, the practical English fluency of many team members was significantly well below the B2 level needed for effective day-to-day collaboration. For US-based engineers who do not speak Portuguese, this will create significant communication friction and should be a serious consideration before accepting an offer. I spoke Portuguese at a C1 level — evaluated by the company itself — and even then the language dynamic added complexity to an already steep ramp-up.
* The performance review process felt more personal than professional at times. Feedback occasionally targeted the individual rather than the work, and some observations felt more like character assessments than constructive guidance tied to specific outcomes. For a company that prides itself on innovation and people-first culture, the review process could benefit from more structured, objective, and actionable feedback standards.
* The onboarding could be better structured for US hires joining Brazilian teams — there is a learning curve that goes beyond just the technology
