Startup Sinking Fast: Should Engineers Stay for Security or Jump Ship?

The discussion revolves around a classic, stressful scenario: an engineer (OP) is witnessing their startup's rapid decline, marked by the CTO's departure and an exodus of engineering talent. While the business side seems oblivious, the OP foresees a crash and wonders whether to remain employed for an anticipated 6-12 months, hoping for a private equity buyout of the remnants, or to abandon ship immediately. The OP believes the company currently cannot afford to lose them.

Key Themes and Advice Shared:

Prioritize Self-Preservation and Active Job Search

Nearly all commenters advised the OP to prioritize their own well-being and career. The consensus is that the company's demise is likely inevitable, regardless of the OP's actions.

Start Looking Now: PaulHoule and others urged the OP to begin their job search immediately, even while staying put temporarily.
Don't Sacrifice for a Sinking Ship: JohnFen strongly advised against overworking or making significant personal sacrifices for a company that is clearly failing, especially one that isn't the OP's own. "Take care of yourself, nobody else will," as eschneider put it.
Manage Workload Strategically: The concern about increased workload impeding interview prep was validated. The advice from toomuchtodo was to "work enough to not get fired but not so much you burn out." This allows for energy and time to be dedicated to finding a new role.

Navigating the Remaining Time

If staying for a short period, several considerations were raised:

The Double-Edged Sword of Indispensability: bell-cot questioned whether management truly recognizes the OP's indispensability and warned that a common reaction could be to "bully him to do the work of all the departed engineers." The OP's own response indicated an intention to test boundaries and leverage their position, but this comes with risks.
Financial Prudence: toomuchtodo recommended building savings further and being prepared to collect unemployment if necessary.
Quiet Operation: If leadership is part of the problem (as the OP confirmed), aurizon advised to "operate quietly and maximally, with dry feet," suggesting a low-profile, efficient approach to avoid unnecessary conflict.

Potential for Leverage and Insight

Aurizon offered a unique perspective, suggesting the OP analyze the root causes of the company's failure.

This internal knowledge could be valuable to a potential 'White Knight' acquirer, potentially leading to a better role for the OP in a restructured entity or new venture using the company's assets.
However, aurizon also cautioned that the current leadership ("the captain who steered them onto the rocks") might react negatively to such insights.

The Human Element

Python3267, the OP, confirmed that while leadership and HR are aware of the "doom spiral," other business-side employees are not, highlighting the information asymmetry common in such situations. The discussion underscores the emotional and practical challenges of being an informed employee on a sinking ship.

The overarching sentiment was to be proactive, prepared, and to look out for one's own interests, as loyalty to a failing company run by potentially problematic leadership is ill-advised. The phrase "provision your own lifeboat" from aurizon aptly summarizes the collective wisdom.