In the last few years they have dropped their recruiting significantly but ExxonMobil recruited Ph.D’s from the best universities for decades. Lots and lots of VERY smart people work there.
Doesn't apply to the JPL folks I've met throughout my life but for the rest I guess I have to take your word for it. I'm not sure if your comment was just a sarcastic joke though, in which case I completely missed it
my BIL started in geology but ended up with a Ph.D in biology. I tried to get him to goto work for ExxonMobile (or somewhere in oil/gas) but he said he wasn't interested in selling his soul. Now, after half a decade, he's still looking for a steady job and makes holsters and knife accessories and sells them online to make ends meet. On one hand, I admire his stubbornness but on the other hand, i wish he wasn't so stubborn.