Seems like they're trying to do the CFA project more like a "startup" style: - SF -> checked - Small team -> checked - 2.0 -> checked - Web (?) -> checked

Seems like they're trying to do the CFA project more like a "startup" style: - SF -> checked - Small team -> checked - 2.0 -> checked - Web (?) -> checked - Ramen wage -> checked - Tight deadline -> checked - Unknown requirements -> checked Plus health benefit and travel tickets. Minus bureaucracy (probably). I don't think it's a bad idea. If you were to work there and be successful in 1-2 projects, you would get the following benefits: - Connection with government agencies - Experience delivering govt/municipal public solution (portfolio) - Having stayed at SF for a while (maybe stationed yourself there) - Probably connection to the startup scenes there (if they go to meetups) You can join a startup afterward and get a bigger paycheck. Of course all of these are probably more suitable for fresh-grad looking for an opportunity in Silicon Valley.