Is MS required to climb up ML/ DL Tech ladder

Apr 4, 2021 82 Comments

I have my B Tech but haven’t done masters yet. I am looking to apply for roles relating to ML applied scientist (carrying out e2e model development)

Quick background - have had a few stints where I have majorly done analytics (role of a data scientist) and just starting to get into building DL models. I wanted to stick with python/ applied model work than dealing with SQL.

Does anyone have suggestions ?

I have a few coursera courses done already but I was wondering if I ll be dubbed as a junior - and given some busy work without MS in this field.

YOE : 2+
TC : early 100k

Thanks in advance! #data #dataanalytics #datascience #machinelearning #faang #softwareadvice #softwareengineer #deeplearning

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TOP 82 Comments
  • MS will help. Coursera is cute but not taken seriously. Work experience helps.
    Apr 4, 2021 20
    • Splunk
      bbbdddiot

      Go to company page Splunk

      bbbdddiot
      Agreed. Reading papers does not require formal education though. And Coursera can provide a good start.
      Apr 19, 2021
    • Asurion / Data
      uhGV71

      Go to company page Asurion Data

      BIO
      experienced data scientist in computer vision and nlp, have multiple research papers in Masters.
      uhGV71
      Yes, but point is phd is very required or grind like me... I have to read 4 papers every week from domain which I am not familiar. It's good and I love though...

      Lol, but phd is better
      Apr 19, 2021
  • Groupon
    ExGrouponr

    Go to company page Groupon

    ExGrouponr
    You need a PhD for the kind of work you want
    Apr 5, 2021 7
    • Getting models input/output in production is what you can get with MS. Systematic experimentation comes to keep making improvements to models, analyses, and complex problems.

      PhD training, regardless of the topic, comes with tons of rejections in paper submissions, rigorous concepts, and ability to lay out solutions to ambiguous problems.

      True, industry experience might replace that, but you need way many years. Of course, to manage people or projects you don’t need to solve problems and that is probably what most MS ended up career wise.
      Apr 6, 2021
    • Unity
      g money

      Go to company page Unity

      g money
      boybbn you sound like a gatekeeper if there ever was one.
      May 1, 2021
  • Moveworks / Eng
    dCOw25

    Go to company page Moveworks Eng

    dCOw25
    An MS can help you get your foot in the door, but assuming you have no visa issues it's worthless after the first relevant job in the field. (A PhD is a completely different story and is all but required for highly academic jobs, something which is very difficult to substitute with industry experience.) So maybe apply to ML jobs as well as masters programs at the same time? If you get your dream job, great, you don't need a masters; otherwise, it's a sign that maybe you do need to go get your masters.
    Apr 4, 2021 1
    • New
      GayLubeOil

      New

      GayLubeOil
      I got the job in ML and then another. Half way done masters, gonna keep going until I'm done and hoping it helps me out at least a little
      Apr 5, 2021
  • Capital One / R&D
    hibber

    Go to company page Capital One R&D

    hibber
    Nah don't bother

    Just prep hard and apply to many roles you need to get lucky just once

    If you can answer later normalization and vanishing gradient you'll get a 250k applied Scientist role
    Apr 4, 2021 0
  • OP
    Thanks for the suggestions.I don’t have visa issues.

    If I get into a new role, is it possible I might not be considered for certain responsibilities because I don’t have an MS ? This is currently happening in my work and thats the reason I wanted to look for a change / think about MS.

    Also - without MS can I keep climbing the ladder in this role (applied scientist / ML engineer) ? Don’t want to have the regret of missing out because I don’t have the MS tag.
    Apr 4, 2021 7