Career Path Of A Software Engineering Manager At A Biotechnology Company
Danny's career path began with "a lot of lab work" in molecular biology and microbiology during college, followed by a research associate role in non-invasive prenatal testing. A pivotal internship in QA software testing within the same company, using Selenium, transitioned their career into software engineering, leading to roles in biotech startups and ultimately a software engineering manager position at a larger firm, leveraging both lab and software development expertise.
Biotechnology, Software Engineering, Career Progression, Networking, Wet Lab Experience
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Danny Tran
Manager, Software Engineering
Biotechnology Company
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
John Hopkins University - Bioinformatics M.S.
Biology & Related Sciences
Biotechnology & Pharmaceutical
Product / Service / Software Development and Management
LGBTQ, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Danny's career path highlights a combination of wet lab experience and software development, showcasing the value of diverse skills in biotech.
2. His transition from a research associate role to a software QA internship within the same company demonstrates the power of internal networking and leveraging existing connections for career advancement.
3. Danny's journey from a software developer to a software engineering manager underscores the importance of continuous learning, adaptability, and gaining experience in various company settings (startups vs. larger companies) to climb the career ladder.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path? Please start with your college experience, including any internships or jobs you had before your current role.
In college, I did a lot of lab work for various instructors. This work was in molecular biology and microbiology, and I sought wet lab experience through research. It was a way to become familiar with different types of research in the field.
After college, I took my first research associate job, which was also clinical. In this role, I worked with non-invasive prenatal testing. This was primarily a wet lab position.
However, during this job, I also pursued an internship in QA for software at the same company. There, I was allowed to write testing automation scripts for their ordering portal. I used Selenium as the automation software to run through some of their tests.
This was my first experience in the software industry. I was able to secure this opportunity by networking internally and discovering the internship. Balancing a full-time job and an internship was a lot of work, but it helped me get to where I am today.
Combining my wet lab experience and QA testing skills, specifically writing software, allowed me to join a startup. This was the beginning of my career. It was another biotech company where I worked for about eight months.
Using that experience, I moved to another biotech company that was less of a startup. This company had more experienced software developers from whom I could learn. I spent about three years there.
After that company, I was able to land my current job. By then, I was a software developer with significant startup and lab experience. I was able to integrate and contribute quickly because I understood the industry well.
This is how I progressed from a software engineer to a senior software engineer, and ultimately to a software engineering manager. That has been my career path.
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