Posted this in the internal channel, but also posting here for more insights. Background: A SWE with a traditional SWE background (4 YOE), no ML experience, but only taken college-level courses. Goal: I want to make a shift to ML-related teams, but I don't want to do 100% ML like modelling, but want to still do SWE job that helps ML models, systems, ecosystem, etc. Situation: I was approved for one of the core ML teams at Google (one of DeepMind, Core ML, Gemini). But the team is the least-ML team of the org. I might be still doing a lot of traditional SWE work, but still might get exposed to ML and my works will eventually help the ML models that the scientists develop. The manager told me that the team also might need to work on building models sometime and we work a lot with the team that does actual ML. My question: Is it still worth it to move to this team based on my goal? I notice that internal tranfers are pretty hard these days and especially since everyone is trying to get into ML/AI, it would be hard for me to get a chance like this without ML work experience. Is this the best way for me to get my foot into this realm, or shall I give myself more time, study AI/ML and re-search when there are more teams available out there? Any thoughts would be appreicated. Thanks!! Edit: + I am very comfortable with my team, but the new team will have pretty heavy workloads. Will it still be worth it to make the move even if the team is not fully ml and it's the least ml team in the org and damage my work-life balance?
MLE here. Field is saturated by people and there is a very low supply of jobs. Likely there won't be anymore coming. If you are interested to enjoy the boom, do some ML infra work.
Do you think there won't be anymore coming? Feels like many ppl will leave the company in March and more internal jobs would open up.
There will be AI companies. But they don't do ML work. A lot is vector data base setup and some fine-tuning done by senior folks. It's great time to sell shovels (chips, ML infra). ML field is also very intimidating for SWEs. Most people have phds and are not afraid to show you you don't know anything. I know an L5 which went through hoops to get the ML role, but after 3 years hasnt been trusted with a simple modeling work.
What is more saturated right now : backend or ml?
Actually my second concern is that, I am very comfortable with my team, but the new team will have pretty heavy workloads. Will it be still worth it to make the move even if the team is not fully ml and it's the least ml team in the org and damage my work-life balance?
You answered your own question with a rational argument.
Take it
If it were me I wouldn't mess with a good thing that is working. If you like your team and have a good thing going, just leave it alone. Study ML on the side on your own and maybe in the future you'll find something that really makes your eyes light up. Personally I think there is too much hype in the space and as others mentioned it's going to be over-saturated with people running for supposed gold in the hills.
Tech Industry
5h
463
Offer evaluation: Amazon or Broadcom
Ask Blinders
Yesterday
497
Why is our country owned by Israel? I don't want my tax dollars fund genocide. How can we stop this nonsense?
Tech Industry
Yesterday
2540
1 vs 5 Million - no lifestyle change
Tech Industry
Yesterday
2087
Lack of diversity in engineering division at X
Tech Industry
Yesterday
2917
Tech companies to avoid as a white guy?
What’s your current team and work like?
Just an internal data infrastructure team