What's your job about?

My job mainly involves developing and maintaining a tool for Woolworths. It's a data pipeline that essentially merges and transforms various data sources. This process generates key metrics that our clients want to see, which are then displayed on a dashboard for easy access.  What the client directly interacts with is a Tableau dashboard on the front end.

Like other projects at Quantium, we have many different data sources. So, my daily work often involves using SQL and Python to process this data and transform it into the metrics we need.  These can be simple things like percentages and averages for example and also there can be some more complex metrics. The main purpose of our tool is to provide recommendations for optimizing staff scheduling within a store.

In addition to the day-to-day development of the pipeline, we also respond to client inquiries and provide them with the data they need for decision making. The rest of my day involves meetings, emails and catch-up with amazing colleagues. After all, we're not just colleagues, we're good friends too!

What's your background?

I grew up in Chongqing, China, where I completed my middle school and high school education.  After that, I moved to Adelaide, Australia for university.  My undergraduate degree was actually in Nursing, so I became a registered nurse after graduating. However, over the years, I've always been interested in the technology industry. Data science became a hot topic during that time, and I knew I couldn't wait any longer. So, after working as a nurse for a year, I made the decision to change careers. I really enjoy the process of solving complex logical problems and the sense of accomplishment that comes with it.

I then enrolled in the Master of Data Science program at the University of Melbourne. I loved all the subjects I studied, although it was quite challenging at first.  My undergraduate degree didn't involve any coding, but thankfully, I've always been good at science and math.  So, after a while, I adapted and really started to enjoy it.

During my studies, I actively sought out internships and completed two – one at the university and one at a consulting firm. After that, I successfully landed a grad role here at Quantium. Quantium had always been my dream company, as the overall atmosphere seemed very cutting-edge and innovative.  Since joining, I've continued to love what I do and I'm certain that data science is the field I want to specialize in.

Could someone with a different background do your job?

Quantium's employees come from diverse backgrounds, and you're not just learning on the job. There's also comprehensive training provided early on when you join the company. While a STEM degree isn't a must-have, having an eye for detail and a passion for working with data are essential.

What's the coolest thing about your job?

I think the coolest thing about my job is seeing the logic I write being implemented in our project's tool and actually bringing real benefits to clients. I also have to mention that Quantium has a very young workforce. It's really cool to work with a group of peers; the whole work atmosphere is very much on the same wavelength. Everyone is super friendly, and we have a lot of really cool social events which I’ve never seen elsewhere!

What are the limitations of your job?

Our project largely depends on the clients' preferences. For example, we could develop many more fancy features, but if the clients aren't particularly interested or if the time investment and benefits don't match the current needs, we might not be able to implement those great ideas.

Also, the scope of our project can change frequently, so we need to be able to adjust our pace quickly.

3 pieces of advice for yourself when you were a student...

1. Don't just follow the prescribed path. Take that weird elective, join that club that seems kinda nerdy, talk to people you wouldn't normally. Because you will never know where and when you will discover hidden passions and build unexpected skills that might be really helpful later on in your career!
2. It's okay to make mistakes; everyone does. The point isn't to dwell on why you messed up or blame yourself. It's about analyzing what went wrong, figuring out how to avoid it next time, and learning from your mistakes instead of getting stuck in negative emotions.
3. Believe in yourself and stick to what you believe in. If you doubt yourself or feel anxious, go do the thing that's making you anxious.