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Ask HN: Engineers from non-CS background, how did you pivot into ML/AI?

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Re: Ask HN: Engineers from non-CS background, how did you pivot into ML/AI?

#51

Post by waffletower »

ryanjodonnell wrote: post #31
souljaboytylem wrote: post #27

After reading most of the comments I can try to provide a different perspective. I am a Director of Data Science and Software Engineering for a mid sized firm (~1000 employees and $150-200MM revenue). I started with a Finance degree then shifted into an analysis position at a FAANG (lots of excel, SQL, learning how to query big data). This eventually led to learning more about tech (python, AWS cloud stack, messaging…

We gotta stop saying 'FAANG' when MSFT is the arguably the top tech company around these days.

Amazing that this has-been company is so desperate to inflate its reputation that it posts such laughable conjecture on Hacker News.

Re: Ask HN: Engineers from non-CS background, how did you pivot into ML/AI?

#52

Post by Cyph0n »

throwaway98121 wrote: post #41
ryanjodonnell wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We gotta stop saying 'FAANG' when MSFT is the arguably the top tech company around these days.

Not disagreeing with you (not informed enough to), but top tech company by what measure? Market valuation? Impact of products/services in 2018/2019? Workplace rating?

I’ve always felt that Microsoft fits in with GFAA much better than Netflix.

Re: Ask HN: Engineers from non-CS background, how did you pivot into ML/AI?

#53

Post by robertAngst »

DrNuke wrote: post #2

> what should I do to get noticed by recruiters at FAANG and non-FAANG to stand apart from the CS crowd? The usual answer here is look for suitable business / r&d cases within your own EE industrial domain and use ML/AI as any other tool instead of as a black box or a magic wand. Good luck.

I'm just trying to get my first programming job.

I cant seem to get past HR. My resume has that I'm a Chem Engineer BS, Industrial MS, 7 years in engineering, 2 years of Electrical Engineering.

The first page of my resume is my 10 years of non-career programming experience. Built a Dishwasher(embedded C++), full stack app(RN JS, Mysql PHP laravel), and smaller projects.

I cannot get past HR.

Every real life programmer I show my work to, knows I'm capable. Heck even some got me in touch with HR. Nothing came of it.

Re: Ask HN: Engineers from non-CS background, how did you pivot into ML/AI?

#54

Post by ultrasounder »

fnbr wrote: post #46

My background is that of an econometrician (ie quantitative economist), and I now work as a Research Engineer at one of the FAANG research divisions. I think the advice about getting in as a hardware engineer is solid. At my workplace, there's a ton of need for people working on specialized hardware for DL, and for people working on the software that works with it (optimizing compilers, etc). If you are looking to br…

Thanks and I just subscribed to your Byte-sized videos at aiworkbox.com.

Re: Ask HN: Engineers from non-CS background, how did you pivot into ML/AI?

#55

Post by throwawaymath »

ryanjodonnell wrote: post #31
souljaboytylem wrote: post #27

After reading most of the comments I can try to provide a different perspective. I am a Director of Data Science and Software Engineering for a mid sized firm (~1000 employees and $150-200MM revenue). I started with a Finance degree then shifted into an analysis position at a FAANG (lots of excel, SQL, learning how to query big data). This eventually led to learning more about tech (python, AWS cloud stack, messaging…

We gotta stop saying 'FAANG' when MSFT is the arguably the top tech company around these days.

Okay, but repeatedly making this point in this thread is derailing conversation. Does it really matter that much? Were you unaware of the parent comment's point being made because MSFT isn't represented?

Re: Ask HN: Engineers from non-CS background, how did you pivot into ML/AI?

#56

Post by ultrasounder »

robertAngst wrote: post #53
DrNuke wrote: post #2

> what should I do to get noticed by recruiters at FAANG and non-FAANG to stand apart from the CS crowd? The usual answer here is look for suitable business / r&d cases within your own EE industrial domain and use ML/AI as any other tool instead of as a black box or a magic wand. Good luck.

I'm just trying to get my first programming job. I cant seem to get past HR. My resume has that I'm a Chem Engineer BS, Industrial MS, 7 years in engineering, 2 years of Electrical Engineering. The first page of my resume is my 10 years of non-career programming experience. Built a Dishwasher(embedded C++), full stack app(RN JS, Mysql PHP laravel), and smaller projects. I cannot get past HR. Every real life programme…

Hi, Loved your Dishwasher robot post the other day. IMHO, see if you can gang up with your co-conspirator and raise seed money. Heck, if you can afford it, consider moving to the valley and try to get in the next YC cohort. These days they seem to have a predilection towards funding HW ventures. If all else fails, you will still have all the experience of an entrepreneur which will carry you places. AS an aside, Have you considered "Industrial Automation" jobs. Companies like Tesla might be interested in your profile.

Re: Ask HN: Engineers from non-CS background, how did you pivot into ML/AI?

#57

Post by thecruncher96 »

jameslk wrote: post #49
ryanjodonnell wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We gotta stop saying 'FAANG' when MSFT is the arguably the top tech company around these days.

It seems FAANG has transcended its original meaning from being an acronym to becoming a generalized word for "any highly traded growth tech stock"

Yeah FAANG definitely has that connotation in finance rather than being an acronym suggesting the top tech companies

Re: Ask HN: Engineers from non-CS background, how did you pivot into ML/AI?

#58

Post by lnsru »

ultrasounder wrote: post #9
JoeDaDude wrote: post #6

I am also an EE and have been able to apply ML to my field, wireless comms. It turns out people skilled in the intersection of two fields are very rare indeed. I'd suggest you look for an opportunity to apply ML/CV/AI in your industry (deep learning for PCB inspection maybe?). Show the possibilities, get some research funding, do a pilot program or similar. Lead and drag your company (kicking and screaming if need be…

Thanks for the response.Wireless comms seems like ripe for ML enhancement. PCB inspection is something that has crossed my mind indeed but it is quiet involved due to the sheer number of features ( traces, components, vias, connectors) none of which has pretrained models. Having said that Automation esp FAI( First article inspection) is quiet possible as demonstarted by landing.ai(Andrew NGs) company.Being employee a…

Would you like to write an auto router for PCB design using ML? A smart one that can indentify components, their properties and choose right connections between them? Have a fast signal going directly and some shitty LED with 10 vias. Or placing power parts with wide tracks and using thin ones for digital signals.

Re: Ask HN: Engineers from non-CS background, how did you pivot into ML/AI?

#59

Post by jafingi »

ultrasounder wrote: post #22
tmsh wrote: post #18

https://aws.amazon.com/training/learning-paths/machine-learn... Patience. Spending that extra time (it helps if you really enjoy it or can program yourself to really enjoy it). https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZHQObOWTQDNU6R1_6700... for inspiration. To answer the question though: I'm not sure what you produce other than maybe blog or publish some analysis using your data skills. And maybe: https://github.com/…

Thanks for the links to AWS videos. These were posted here on HN sometime back. Will definitely bookmark them and come back to them. At the moment(literally)i am still finishing up Udacity PyTorch and hope to continue wit the venerable DL4Coders part1 and part2. As someone else had posted, coming up with useful implementations of popular ArXIV papers seems to be one sure shot way of building up a personal brand on Gi…

Andrew Ng's courses on Coursera (Machine Learning) are the best ones IMO. Gives you the introductions to the math behind and some practice.

Re: Ask HN: Engineers from non-CS background, how did you pivot into ML/AI?

#60

Post by ultrasounder »

expertentipp wrote: post #48
pps43 wrote: post #28

EE -> embedded programming -> programming -> financial software -> predictive modeling -> ML.

By the time the OP gets there along this path the new hype will be on GQ/JP already.

LOL! WTH is GQ/JP btw?
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