Today we caught up with Aliya Rysbek, a software engineer on the Platform team. She spoke to us about her path from Central Asia to DeepMind, and her endless curiosity for learning.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Our team is working on a custom project management system for organising all of DeepMind\u2019s research projects. I\u2019m a full-stack developer, so I build the system\u2019s components, like showing team structure, and various backend services to add and improve the product functionality. This system helps to plan and track projects, see who\u2019s working on what, and connect people. The goal is to make it easier for all DeepMinders to do their work.<\/p>\n My day can vary, it really depends on which phase of the project I’m on. Let\u2019s say we want to add a feature to our product \u2013 my tasks could range from designing solutions and working with the team to find the best one, to deploying new features into production and doing maintenance. Along the way, I\u2019ll communicate changes to our stakeholders, write docs, code and test solutions, build analytics dashboards, clean-up old code, and fix bugs.<\/p>\n Typically, I work from the office, so after a quick snack or breakfast, I try to concentrate on critical work for around two hours. Then our team usually has lunch together, which is really nice after working remotely for so long. My afternoon hours are the most productive, so I put my headphones on and jump into coding.<\/p>\n The end of the day usually consists of a break, some team chit-chat, and a walk around the office to work through solutions or get inspiration. We have such a beautiful library in our office. It\u2019s inspiring just to look at the huge selection of books and to be reminded of what else there is to do in life \u2013 there\u2019s still so much more to learn and so many complex problems to solve.\u00a0<\/p>\n Before joining DeepMind, I mentored tech students and high-schoolers in my free time, helping them prepare CVs and do mock interviews. After I started working here, quite a few non-profit organisations and local projects reached out looking for the same kind of support. I\u2019ve really enjoyed it and feel like I\u2019m having a bigger impact than I could before.\u00a0<\/p>\n Some people I helped are already working at different tech companies, including two interns who are starting this month at DeepMind \u2013 yay! I really love that I\u2019m in a position to share resources, time, and skills back with the community. As a female software engineer from a developing country, I know the importance of bringing more diversity and inclusion into the workplace.\u00a0<\/p>\n I\u2019m from Kyrgyzstan \u2013 getting this role was such a big deal where I\u2019m from that I even made it onto the local news<\/a>.<\/p>\n English isn\u2019t my native language and is hardly taught in my home country, if at all. But I\u2019ve been really lucky. Back at home I received various scholarships that paid for my time at a private high school where, thanks to my amazing teachers, I was able to improve my English within months and further explore my interest in maths. I even ended up entering and placing 5th in a country-wide olympiad competition while I was there.\u00a0<\/p>\n After that, I decided to study computer science and ended up getting my BSc in Computer Engineering at the Middle East Technical University in Turkey, and my MSc in Computer Science Engineering at the Budapest University of Technology in Hungary. Studying abroad wouldn\u2019t have been possible without scholarship support from the Turkish and Hungarian governments.\u00a0<\/p>\n Once I completed my studies, it was time to find a job, which was difficult. Fortunately, I had a mentor who was an ex-Googler and they spent months helping me prepare for interviews and survive more than 70 rejections from different organisations. Eventually, though, we were also able to celebrate five offers!\u00a0<\/p>\n With my computer engineering background and internship experience, I felt prepared going into the process. I spent a lot of time focusing on the coding interviews, and I found these resources really helpful:<\/p>\n I\u2019ve always enjoyed cooking and baking but I wanted to upgrade my skills, so I recently signed up for advanced baking courses \u2013 they went really well! I made delicious pavlovas, croissants (the real kind with lots of butter), tarts, and complex cheesecakes.\u00a0 My friends who were in charge of tasting were very excited about my improved skills \u2013 I even became DeepMind\u2019s Star Baker this year!\u00a0<\/p>\n I\u2019ve also returned to practising dance and Aikido, the modern Japanese martial art. Both of them keep me really active, which is important when you spend a lot of time behind a computer. Last but not least, I\u2019ve also been inspired to learn calligraphy and pottery. At DeepMind, you can take courses that don\u2019t have to relate to the work you do \u2013 it\u2019s been a dream for someone who loves to learn.<\/p>\n In general, I would love to see fair access to quality education globally and I truly believe that DeepMind is capable of contributing to this. There has already been so much work done through the scholarship programme<\/a> and summer school<\/a> support but there\u2019s always more we can do. Global access to education is so important as it would unlock a great share of undiscovered talent and increase the overall quality of life.\u00a0<\/p>\n Make connections! If you see something you\u2019re interested in, do your due diligence and reach out to learn more about the company, position, or project. The relationships you make are invaluable and may help you find the perfect place for your skills, interests, and values.<\/p>\n To ask questions. I believe that people inherently want to help others and will welcome curiosity. Once, during a careers talk, I was told that a human’s default state is \u201cnot knowing\u201d. I really liked that, and it made me realise that we shouldn’t be harsh on ourselves for not knowing something, but rather be graceful and feed our curiosity by learning from others.<\/p>\n \u200d<\/p>\n Learn more about engineering at DeepMind and search for open roles today<\/p>\n<\/div>\nWhat does a software engineer on the platform team do?<\/h5>\n
Can you walk us through a typical day?\u00a0<\/h5>\n
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<\/div>\n<\/figure>\nWhat\u2019s something you\u2019re especially proud of in your career?<\/h5>\n
Can you tell us about your journey to DeepMind?<\/h5>\n
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<\/div>\n<\/figure>\nHow did you prepare for your interview at DeepMind?\u00a0<\/h5>\n
What do you get up to outside of work?<\/h5>\n
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<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nWhat kind of impact do you hope DeepMind has on the world?<\/h5>\n
Any tips for aspiring DeepMinders?\u00a0<\/h5>\n
What\u2019s the best career advice you\u2019ve ever received?<\/h5>\n