Engineer compensation
Exalynt pays engineers for the capacity they fulfill. The payout for an assignment is agreed before the engineer accepts it and does not depend on which client bought it or whether that client chose Exalynt Managed or Self Managed.
How a payout is calculated
Engineer payout = Capacity Payout Basis × Engineer Share
- Capacity Payout Basis is Exalynt's standard value for a Flex, Core, or Dedicated block in the engineer's compensation market. It is a compensation figure, not the client's price.
- Engineer Share is the percentage earned for the engineer's capability level. It is the same for every block size and compensation market.
- Engineer payout is the amount due for the agreed capacity when that capacity is fulfilled, subject to the terms of the engineer's written agreement and assignment.
| Engineer level | Engineer Share | Typical scope |
|---|---|---|
| Junior | 30% | Delivers defined work with guidance and review. |
| Mid | 45% | Independently delivers scoped work and communicates risks and tradeoffs. |
| Senior | 55% | Owns ambiguous work, makes sound technical decisions, and can guide delivery and other engineers. |
| Principal | 60% | Sets technical direction across engagements, owns complex architecture, and raises the bar for other engineers. |
Level reflects demonstrated capability and responsibility, not tenure, location, or the price paid by a particular client. A Senior engineer receives a 55% share in every market and for every block size. Moving up a level raises the share.
Payout calculator
$7,000 basis × 55% share = $3,850 per Dedicated block
Gross contractor payout in U.S. dollars, before taxes, insurance, benefits, equipment, time off, and time between assignments. Exalynt does not guarantee a number of blocks.
Compensation markets
Exalynt benchmarks compensation against the market in which an engineer is based. The aim is to offer attractive compensation for excellent engineers in each local labor market. Differences in payout basis reflect differences in contractor markets; they do not imply that equivalent work or engineering judgment has less value in one country.
The following planning schedule makes the model concrete. The Market 1 basis is the current reference for this model. The other bases are proposed starting points from that reference, not verified local-market benchmarks or offers. Exalynt should validate a market's figures before using them in an engineer's assignment.
| Compensation market | Typical location examples* | Flex basis | Core basis | Dedicated basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market 1 | United States and comparable contractor markets | $625 | $3,000 | $7,000 |
| Market 2 | Some Central/Eastern European and Latin American contractor markets | $450 | $2,150 | $5,000 |
| Market 3 | Some South and Southeast Asian contractor markets | $300 | $1,500 | $3,500 |
*Examples are directional, not automatic country assignments. A country can contain multiple labor markets. Exalynt assigns the market using relevant contractor compensation data for the engineer's role, experience, location, and working arrangement, and tells the engineer their market and applicable bases before accepting an assignment. The same criteria apply to everyone. Exalynt reviews market bases periodically as markets change; any new basis applies to future assignments, not capacity already accepted.
For example, a Senior fulfilling a Dedicated block receives $3,850 in Market 1 ($7,000 × 55%), $2,750 in Market 2 ($5,000 × 55%), or $1,925 in Market 3 ($3,500 × 55%), using the planning schedule above.
Why client prices are separate
These are Exalynt's current client prices for one block, shown for context. Client prices are subject to change. A change to a client price does not change the engineer's 30% / 45% / 55% / 60% share. The payout uses the applicable market's Capacity Payout Basis, not a percentage of the invoice.
| Block | Exalynt Managed | Self Managed | Market 1 payout basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flex | $500 | $750 | $625 |
| Core | $2,750 | $3,500 | $3,000 |
| Dedicated | $6,500 | $8,000 | $7,000 |
For a Market 1 Senior, a Dedicated block pays $7,000 × 55% = $3,850 whether the client pays the current $6,500 Managed price or the current $8,000 Self Managed price. Likewise, that engineer receives $343.75 for Flex or $1,650 for Core. If client prices change later, those payouts remain based on the applicable market basis and share; a market basis may separately be reviewed and updated prospectively.
Exalynt Managed currently also has a $199 monthly service fee. Infrastructure costs are passed through to clients at cost. Neither the monthly service fee nor infrastructure pass-through is part of a capacity payout. If an engineer provides separate ongoing support, Exalynt and the engineer agree on that work and compensation separately.
How the money flows shows what Exalynt retains from each block after the engineer is paid.
What could this look like over a year?
The simplest way to think about annual income is payout per block × blocks actually fulfilled during the year. The table below assumes an engineer fulfills three Dedicated blocks each month (36 paid blocks in a year) or a full working schedule of four each month (48 paid blocks). These are gross contractor payouts in U.S. dollars, using the planning bases above.
- Market 1
- Market 2
- Market 3
| Level | Payout per Dedicated block | Annualized at 36 blocks | Annualized at 48 blocks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Junior | $2,100 | $75,600 | $100,800 |
| Mid | $3,150 | $113,400 | $151,200 |
| Senior | $3,850 | $138,600 | $184,800 |
| Principal | $4,200 | $151,200 | $201,600 |
| Level | Payout per Dedicated block | Annualized at 36 blocks | Annualized at 48 blocks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Junior | $1,500 | $54,000 | $72,000 |
| Mid | $2,250 | $81,000 | $108,000 |
| Senior | $2,750 | $99,000 | $132,000 |
| Principal | $3,000 | $108,000 | $144,000 |
| Level | Payout per Dedicated block | Annualized at 36 blocks | Annualized at 48 blocks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Junior | $1,050 | $37,800 | $50,400 |
| Mid | $1,575 | $56,700 | $75,600 |
| Senior | $1,925 | $69,300 | $92,400 |
| Principal | $2,100 | $75,600 | $100,800 |
For a Market 1 Senior, two Dedicated blocks per month would annualize to $92,400 (24 blocks); three to $138,600 (36 blocks); and four to $184,800 (48 blocks). A mix of block sizes works the same way: one Dedicated plus one Core in Market 1 pays that Senior $3,850 + $1,650 for those two blocks.
A contractor is paid for accepted, fulfilled capacity, and actual availability may vary. The figures are gross payouts before taxes, insurance, benefits, equipment, time off, and time between assignments. For that reason, a $138,600 annualized contractor payout is not directly equivalent to a $138,600 employee salary. Annual figures are also sensitive to volume: at 36 blocks instead of 48, every level earns a quarter less. Market 2 and Market 3 figures remain planning examples until their payout bases are validated and confirmed for an assignment.
Assignments and changes
Before an engineer accepts capacity, Exalynt confirms the block type, number of blocks, compensation market, applicable payout basis, Engineer Share, and resulting payout in writing. Where several engineers share a block, the written assignment specifies each engineer's portion and payout before work begins. The assignment and engineer agreement govern payment timing, cancellations, and partially fulfilled work.
Capacity is offered as available; this policy does not guarantee assignments or monthly income. Exalynt may change client prices and periodically revise market payout bases, but those changes do not alter the level percentages above or recalculate an already accepted assignment. Any change to an engineer's level or market is communicated before it applies to future assignments.
Frequently asked questions
Does my percentage change when I take a larger block?
No. Your Engineer Share (30% / 45% / 55% / 60% for Junior / Mid / Senior / Principal) depends on your level, regardless of whether you fulfill Flex, Core, or Dedicated. The block's payout basis changes with its size.
Will I earn less if the client chooses Exalynt Managed?
No. Your payout is based on your market's Capacity Payout Basis and your Engineer Share. Managed and Self Managed client prices do not enter that calculation.
Why might an engineer in another location earn a different amount for the same block?
The level standards and shares are the same everywhere. Exalynt uses different payout bases to offer compensation that is competitive in each local contractor market. We tell you your market and the applicable basis before you accept an assignment, and review those bases as markets change.
What if Exalynt changes its client prices or market payout bases?
Client price changes do not change your Engineer Share or recalculate your payout. Market bases can be updated for future assignments; the payout agreed for an already accepted assignment stays as agreed.
Does the annualized example mean I will receive three or four blocks every month?
No. It is a way to translate a per-block payout into a familiar yearly number. Exalynt offers capacity as it becomes available and does not guarantee a number of blocks.
Am I paid differently when Exalynt is the client?
No. When Exalynt buys capacity for its own projects, such as open source or our own tooling, your payout uses the same basis, share, and written assignment (details).