MLE Path Valerii Babushkin - Mastering ML Careers & System Design
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Feb 17, 2025 Valerii Babushkin, Senior Director at BP and former Meta E7, shares his wealth of experience in navigating career transitions in tech. He discusses the importance of ambition and curiosity in achieving growth, and the balance between technical skills and management roles. Valerii emphasizes effective communication and documentation in engineering, along with the significance of selecting the right metrics in ML system design. He also sheds light on the value of Kaggle competitions for career development and what differentiates engineers at various levels.
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Career Transitions
- Valerii Babushkin transitioned between IC and leadership roles, including a move from Russia to the US to work at Meta.
- He later returned to management at Blockchain.com and now leads a larger team at BP.
IC vs. Management
- It's easier to transition from engineering to management than the reverse because high-level ICs often perform management tasks.
- Staying technically proficient requires continuous effort and time investment, regardless of your role.
Onboarding at Meta
- Meta's lack of job titles and reliance on social capital makes it challenging for senior new hires to onboard effectively.
- Valerii's experience joining a new team at Meta highlights the advantages of greenfield projects for onboarding.