Are there ways to detect such institutions before applying?
The biggest component of finding a good employer, assuming you're good, is networking. Good people like to work with other good people, and they like to go within their network for sharing information and finding new people/organizations.
Secondarily, remember that when you're interviewing for a job, it's actually true that you should be evaluating the company as much as they're evaluating you. (Don't let them confuse you about the dynamic with the "Now is the time in interview when you code/dance for our amusement! Pet my monkey!" routine.) Are the people you're talking with brilliant, engineering-inclined, and enthusiastic, in general and about the work itself, and do they seem to honestly encourage you to work there? It doesn't count if they're excited only about their weekend projects, or about spending most of each workday on Reddit.
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