At just 23, Manoj Tumu is living the dream many young engineers only imagine. The Indian-American techie recently walked away from a high-paying job at Amazon, where he was earning a jaw-dropping $33.6 million annually, to join Meta (Facebook) in a role that promises even greater challenges and rewards. His bold move sparked conversations across the tech world, not just for the money involved, but for what it reveals about ambition, passion, and the future of artificial intelligence.
A decision that made headlines
When Manoj announced his decision to leave Amazon for Meta, social media lit up with reactions. After all, it’s not every day that someone turns their back on a package worth over $400,000 a year. But for Manoj, the decision wasn’t just about money—it was about growth. He wanted to dive deeper into research and cutting-edge AI innovations, and Meta’s advertising research team offered exactly that.In an industry where technology evolves at lightning speed, Manoj understood one thing early: staying relevant means never standing still.
The humble beginnings
Manoj’s story wasn’t all glossy paychecks and big names. During his college days, he struggled to land internships—a challenge many students face. With no real-world experience, breaking into the tech world seemed daunting. Yet, Manoj didn’t let rejection define him. He channeled his energy into learning machine learning and artificial intelligence on his own.He could have chosen a safe, well-paying software engineering job right after graduation. Instead, he took a leap of faith—accepting a lower-paying contract role in machine learning. It wasn’t glamorous, and it certainly didn’t make financial sense at the time. But Manoj believed that chasing passion over pay would pay off in the long run. He was right.
Climbing the ladder at Amazon
The gamble paid off. Manoj’s expertise earned him a position at Amazon as a machine learning engineer—a role that put him in the thick of real-world AI projects. Those experiences helped him refine his technical depth and industry knowledge, preparing him for the next leap.The years at Amazon taught him something fundamental: while academic projects matter, actual work experience is what sets candidates apart in this fiercely competitive field.
Why Meta?
Then came the opportunity at Meta. It wasn’t just a bigger paycheck, though reports say his new package exceeds ₹3.36 crore, it was the promise of research-driven work. At Meta’s advertising research division, Manoj is now shaping technologies that influence billions of users worldwide.The move reflects a larger trend in tech: roles are becoming less about routine coding and more about innovation, research, and implementation in areas like AI, machine learning, and data science.
The strategy behind the success
Manoj’s rise wasn’t accidental—it was strategic. Here’s what he did differently:
- Built credibility through experience: After two years in the field, he removed personal projects from his résumé, focusing on solid work experience.
- Applied without shortcuts: No referrals, no backdoors—just strong applications through LinkedIn and company portals.
- Prepared rigorously: From studying company values to crafting detailed answers for behavioral interviews, Manoj left nothing to chance.
- Stayed future-focused: He understood early on that AI is moving toward deep learning and neural networks, and he made sure his skills evolved with the industry.
A message for aspiring engineers
Manoj Tumu’s journey is more than a success story—it’s a roadmap for the next generation. It shows that calculated risks, continuous learning, and an unwavering passion for your craft can lead to extraordinary outcomes.For young engineers standing at the crossroads of safe choices and bold moves, Manoj’s story is proof that the latter—if guided by strategy—can redefine your career and your life.
About the Author
