AI residency vs SWE with ML

Apr 27, 2020 4 Comments

I'm a SWE with a CS PhD (unknown school, not ML related and I don't use it in my day-to-day work), 5 yoe. I started learning ML in my free-time (books,MOOCS) but I don't consider myself very knowledgeable yet. I'm trying to decide if it makes more sense for me to enter into one of the AI residencies (ie. FB ai-residency), or if I should just go for a normal SWE position where on the side there's a bit of ML to play with and learn from there.
Ideally I would like to work on a ML position in the future (either research scientist or research-engineer).
From what I read so far, AI residencies aim for younger / fresh graduates, but I'm already in my thirties. What are your thoughts? Any experience in an AI residency or SWE with ML and how did that turned out for you?

Thanks

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TOP 4 Comments
  • Amazon
    cucumbere

    Go to company page Amazon

    cucumbere
    Yeah AI residencies are targeted primarily at new grads or others with little to no industry experience, the pay is also much lower than a typical SWE job (even for a new grad job). I try to slowly integrate yourself into ML based projects for a smoother transition.
    Apr 29, 2020 2
    • I agree. What concerns me is if I'll ever be able to move to a research-scientist or research-engineer position in ML. It seems to me that I either take the new grad route (since I don't have professional ML experience, but at the same time it's cringy at my stage in life), or I just accept a regular SWE job with a promise of doing a bit of ML (which in my experience is only said to attract people interested in it but in practice you barely do any ML).
      Apr 30, 2020
    • Amazon
      cucumbere

      Go to company page Amazon

      cucumbere
      I’m not entirely sure how to process of switching over is, but I do know lots of people with backgrounds completely outside ML (physics, bio, math) that were able to switch in post graduation, so there is definitely hope, but it may be a little bit harder the further down the path of SWE you have already walked. I’m not sure if Microsoft has anything like Google’s 20% projects, but if they do that may be a good start.
      Apr 30, 2020
  • Google / Eng
    gооgle

    Go to company page Google Eng

    gооgle
    AI residency is basically internship. Go for a normal SWE job
    Apr 28, 2020 0