[pledess]

In my experience, things you can ask include:

What's the history of this first project I've been assigned to?

Who are the most important customers, or types of customers?

What's the risk tolerance (unless you've been told Move Fast Break Things)?

Things you usually can't ask directly, but need to learn quickly:

Is this a meritocracy? If not, what other factors matter?

What types of actions are perceived as throwing a co-worker under the bus?

Is most of my job to figure out what my job is (i.e., exploring how I can contribute most effectively)?