I joined Google after being at a big, soulless enterprise software company.

Google is not the same. However, it is undeniably a big company. If you want to be at a startup, it's not the place for you. But it does "big company" better than most. We are treated amazingly well, we are well compensated, and we are surrounded by smart developers (all pretty unusual for bug companies).

And, in general, people have a pretty wide latitude in heat they do -- especially engineers. And if you get tired of a particular project, movement between teams is encouraged.