When the job description directly says 70+ hours expected, it puts you in a position to clearly say "Hey since this job will be roughly 70-90 hours, I expect my salary to be commensurate".

Its very different when companies don't clearly state that expectation - that is when the pay problems come in. Its so much worse to advertise a 40 hour job where candidates find out 3 months later how f* they are - those guys deserve the flak for overwork.

You can't do this kind of work motivated by money. You have to love the idea.

That's so much better...

Or, here's a crazy idea: You could hire two passionate people and allow them to each live a normal, balanced life, thus preventing burnout and reducing the chance of mistakes while increasing overall productivity (since studies show that one person working twice as long is not twice as productive).

Wild idea, right?

I don't care how much I love the work, I get paid the value of my labor or I walk. If that means $800,000 year for 80 hours a week, that's what it takes. There are very few cases I would ever take less compensation then I think my time is worth, even for a job I would love. To me, its a matter of self-respect.