[patrickxie]

From my experience in speaking with talented technical people. The greater part of the satisfaction of a job comes from the peers you work with and the people you are around with rather than technical solutions.

Have you tried searching for the right company with the right values and culture that would allow similarly minded people to flourish?

I am not aware of a service that allows you to find companies with interesting technical problems as of yet so I can't recommend you one.

I do know of keyvalues.com is a service that lets engineers find companies with the qualities that matter to them.

[zapperdapper]

I am old and bitter and twisted so perhaps my opinion is now irrelevant, but I take most companies' stated values with a pinch of salt. Every company claims it wants to be diverse, gentle on the environment and kind to employees and small furry animals. The reality of most tech companies is it's a grind pure and simple. While they may grant you a day to work with your favourite charity, the rest of the year is coping with inbox explosions, crisis management, overwhelm, 60 hour weeks, and unrealistic deadlines!

Told you I was a cynical whatnot! :D