There is a good chance I'll get hired on by a new company next month. My US passport expires in December. I'll be getting a one year non-B through the company...Should I just apply for a new passport now, or can I do that after I get my visa? Do they even issue visas that exceed the validity of a passport?

You should get the new passport now. If you have less than 6 months left on your old passport they might not give you the visa.

Do it before you get the visa. A multiple non-B officially requires a validity of 18 months to issue, although not everywhere enforced.

If you mean a 1 year extension of stay from immirgation, it doesn't matter for the extension. But if you need to travel a lot of countries will require a validity of 6 months for entry.

Get it now, saves a lot of hassles later

Damn, I hate it when you guys are right

My issue is that I want to take a trip abroad on the 11th of June until the 16th before my new job starts, and I think I'd need to give up my passport for 2 weeks while I wait for a new one. My new job *probably* starts on the 17th, and then they'd send me to get a new visa.

Am I right that I need to leave my passport at the embassy while they process the renewal app? I only have US and Thai driver licenses as alternative forms of ID (no birth certificate or anything like that within reach).

If I can just apply at the embassy and take my passport with me, that'd be perfect.

The US does not require your passport until you pick up your new one - only if you require it to be mailed would it be canceled earlier.