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Best Companies to Work for in Austin: 10 Places to Get the Job Done

Looking for the best companies to work for in Austin? Well, there’s good news. The city is booming and there are plenty of options with companies both big and small.

Like San Francisco and other major cities around the United States including LA, New York, Chicago, and Seattle, Austin is fast becoming a hub of tech companies with enormous growth opportunities. (It’s not strictly tech, but mostly.)

Before you pursue the best companies to work for in Austin, check out these helpful tips on what makes a good work environment in the first place.

Checklist: What Makes the Best Places to Work?

best companies to work for in austin: teamwork

Ask the average person what makes a good company to work for and chances are work-life balance, a good livable wage, and medical benefits are at the top of the list. Still, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all standard for what makes a great place to work.

While one person might value a work culture of constant collaboration, another might prefer to work more independently. Or perhaps you want a job that comes with a great deal of travel while someone else places high importance on sticking around the office.

Whatever your preferences and goals may be, there are some important factors to take into account when contemplating working for a new company. Here are some of the criteria to consider when finding a workplace that works for you.

  • A clear vision for the company and its workers
  • Honest leadership
  • A livable wage
  • Health benefits
  • Retirement plan
  • Growth opportunities
  • A positive company culture
  • Great work ethic among colleagues
  • Clearly defined expectations for the job role
  • Open communication
  • Respectful upward and downward feedback
  • A healthy work-life balance
  • Perks — this can be as simple as break room snacks, cafe work days, and casual Fridays to fitness memberships or child care

10 of the Best Places to Work in Austin

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You’ll recognize some of the companies in this list as global brands while others are local Austin companies you might not have heard of (yet). And some are local Austin companies that became international giants. (Hello, Whole Foods!)

Keep in mind the company sizes take into account the entire company, not specific Austin offices.

Growth Machine

Industry: Marketing and Advertising

Founded: 2017

Company Size: 12+ employees

Headquartered in Austin, Growth Machine is a privately held content marketing company. Founded by Nat Eliason in 2017, Growth Machine specializes in SEO content marketing for brands, companies, and e-commerce sites seeking qualified leads and improved ranking on Google. Clients span numerous industries including health and wellness, marketing, finance, productivity, sales, fashion, beauty, pets, travel, and more.

Unlike other companies on this list, Growth Machine team members work remotely. This means no commute and better work-life balance. True to its name, the company has experienced tremendous growth since its inception with a robust network of writers and editors, and operations, sales, and strategy teams that are spread across the United States.

Zynga

Industry: Gaming
Founded: 2007
Company Size: 1,600+ employees

With a mission of “connecting the world through games,” Zynga is a pioneer in mobile and web gaming. The company has created some of the most popular free games played by millions of people worldwide including FarmVille,  CSR Racing, Zynga Poker, and Words With Friends. Naturally, there are plenty of engineering positions along with numerous other opportunities in art and user experience, analytics, game design, and production. The company has offices throughout the U.S. (Austin included), Canada, India, and the U.K.

Cirrus Logic

Industry: Technology and Hardware
Founded: 1984
Company Size: 1,500+ employees

With its headquarters in Austin, Cirrus Logic is a major technology company focused on providing audio and voice ICs for mobile apps, smartphones, tablets, smart watches, and digital headsets. The company is a leader in this field with some 3,350 pending patents worldwide. Not surprisingly, there seems to be a steady stream of job openings for engineers. As it states on the Cirrus website, “Engineering drives our company, and innovation isn’t just encouraged – it’s expected!”

Homeaway

Industry: Travel
Founded: 2004
Company Size: 10,000+ employees

Specializing in vacation rentals around the world, VRBO offers more than 2 million properties in 190 countries and counting. HomeAway is part of the Expedia Group of brands including VRBO and has offices worldwide. From customer support to project management, development and beyond, HomeAway has a number of jobs available. While the company is known for its rentals in far-flung locales around the globe, it was founded in Austin, Texas.

Bigcommerce

Industry: E-commerce
Founded: 2009
Employees: 500+ employees

With a mission to “revolutionize commerce, bringing online selling and features once reserved for multi-billion-dollar companies to the masses,” Bigcommerce is an Austin-founded company that provides an e-commerce platform for merchants across various industries. With two offices in Austin, the company works with clients in apparel, health, food and beverage, automotive, and more.

H-E-B 

Industry: Retail
Founded: 1905
Company Size: 10,000+employees

The oldest running business on this list (and female founded), H-E-B is a privately owned chain of supermarkets headquartered in San Antonio. H-E-B — which stands for Howard E. Butts, the son of founder Florence Butts — boasts more than 350 stores throughout Texas, as well as in northeast Mexico. The company runs the gamut of employment opportunities from on-the-floor retail store positions to corporate roles in IT and marketing.

Whole Foods

Industry: Retail
Founded: 1980
Company Size: 10,000+ employees

Another massive grocery store success story born in Austin, Whole Foods brought natural food, health, and body care products to the forefront for consumers. Selling products free from artificial ingredients and a special emphasis on organic, the company has more than 500 stores in North America and the U.K. There are a variety of opportunities in local retail locations as well as in the global support headquarters with departments spanning marketing and communications, human resources, technology, and more.

Apple

Industry: Computers and Electronics
Founded: 1976
Company Size: 10,000+ employees

You don’t need to be told much about the Apple empire created by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne. As the originators of some of the most popular and iconic devices for millions of people worldwide, Apple is a pioneer in designing, developing, and selling consumer electronics, computer software, and online services. They have a number of opportunities from in-store retail positions to roles in departments such as software and services, sales and business development, operations, and support.

Informatica

Industry: Software and Services
Founded: 1993
Company Size: 4,000+ employees

Informatica is a tech company that focuses on enterprise cloud data management for companies around the world. Headquarters are in Redwood City, California, with international and domestic offices, including Austin. According to the company’s page on GlassDoor, the Austin location features 53 Texas music-themed meeting, work, and phone rooms, as well as two kitchens stocked with free drinks and snacks, and a game room.

VMware

Industry: Software and Services
Founded: 1998
Company Size: 10,000+ employees

A subsidiary of Dell Technologies, VMware offers software that helps “customers run, manage, connect, and protect all of their apps on any cloud ⁠— so they can reduce costs, gain efficiencies, and innovate faster.” The company also offers networking and security, with customers ranging from banking, healthcare, and government to retail, manufacturing and transportation. VMware’s Austin office also offers opportunities for new graduates.

Which Best Companies to Work for in Austin Interest You?

best companies to work for in austin: coworking

From marketing and retail to information technology, there’s certainly plenty going on in the Austin job market. Now that you have a better idea about some of the best companies to work for in Austin, the big question is: Which is the best place to work for your own personal goals, expertise, and lifestyle?

Author
Mar Yvette
Mar Yvette

Mar Yvette is an established writer and editor who covers food, restaurants, travel, arts, entertainment, fashion, beauty, health, and wellness for print, online, and broadcast outlets. She’s obsessed with animals, nature, 80s pop, and vegan donuts.

Learn more about Mar

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