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Ryan, Firmware Manager at Zoox: Advize Career Interview
A career journey marked by strategic career moves every three to five years, beginning with robotics and student government involvement and shaped by the dot-com bust, led to a Firmware Manager position at Zoox.
The role's evolution from technical work to people management highlights the importance of communication and understanding individual team members' needs.
A flexible work environment and the excitement of working with cutting-edge technology in the autonomous vehicle industry are key aspects of the role.
Success in this field requires hard work, strong communication, and patience to deliver high-quality work. Aspiring firmware managers should focus on gaining substantial technical experience before transitioning into leadership.
A significant career lesson involves calculated risk-taking, while a strong GPA and potentially graduate school are emphasized as valuable assets.
The interview showcases a rewarding path emphasizing both technical expertise and leadership skills in a dynamic, innovative industry.
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Ryan Gleim
Firmware Manager
Zoox
California Polytechnic State University
California Polytechnic State University
Computer Science
Technology
Product / Service / Software Development and Management
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Career Path Of A Firmware Manager At Zoox
Ryan's career path, beginning with college involvement in robotics and student government, was impacted by the dot-com bubble burst, leading to graduate school instead of internships. After graduation, the job market improved, and subsequent career moves, never exceeding five years at a single company, reflected a strategic approach to gaining "new experiences, new cultures, new environments," while recommending reevaluating career opportunities every three to five years.
Main Responsibilities of a Firmware Manager at Zoox
Ryan's main responsibilities as Firmware Manager at Zoox have transitioned from "a lot of technical work" as an individual contributor to a more people-focused role centered on "managing people and communicating effectively," collaborating with various teams. This reflects a career evolution from technical tasks to leadership and team management.
A Day In The Life Of A Firmware Manager At Zoox
A Firmware Manager's day at Zoox involves significant time spent on communication ("a lot of interactions on Slack...a lot of emails"), prioritization using issue tracking systems ("figuring out priorities...adjusting what people are actively working on"), and addressing personnel matters ("dealing with personnel...things that come up in everybody's lives"). This highlights the managerial role's blend of technical oversight and people management.
Most Important Skills for a Firmware Manager at Zoox
Ryan, a Firmware Manager at Zoox, emphasizes effective communication as the "absolutely essential" skill for success in their managerial role, stating that other skills, such as organizational abilities, are secondary to the ability to communicate effectively with all stakeholders. This highlights the critical importance of interpersonal skills in a leadership position within a technologically focused company.
Favorite Parts Of Being A Firmware Manager At Zoox
Ryan's favorite aspect of their Firmware Manager role at Zoox is the "flexibility," encompassing work-from-home options and "unlimited time off," reflecting a company culture built on trust and responsibility. This demonstrates a strong emphasis on work-life balance and employee well-being as key factors in a fulfilling career.
Biggest Challenges Faced By A Firmware Manager At Zoox
Ryan, a Firmware Manager at Zoox, identifies the biggest challenge in the role as "effectively...understanding and meeting people where they're at," emphasizing the importance of understanding individual differences in abilities, workflows, and motivations amongst engineers. This highlights the nuanced, human element of leadership, surpassing purely technical challenges in a complex engineering environment.
Favorite Parts of Working in the Autonomous Vehicles Industry as a Firmware Manager
Ryan's passion for "the latest and greatest technology" is evident in their career progression, from medical devices including ventilators to the cutting-edge field of autonomous vehicles at Zoox. The excitement stems from being "on the forefront" of a new industry, driven by the potential for technology to improve society, mirroring the widespread adoption of smartphones as a past example of transformative technology.
What Type Of Person Thrives In The Tech Industry, According To A Firmware Manager At Zoox
Ryan, a Firmware Manager at Zoox, emphasizes hard work and initiative as crucial for success in the industry, stating "I'd rather have a less smart, hardworking person than a really smart, not hardworking person". Beyond diligence, strong communication skills are equally vital, a factor often overlooked but significantly impacting career advancement.
What a Firmware Manager at Zoox Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the Technology Industry
Ryan, a Firmware Manager at Zoox, emphasizes the critical importance of "effective communication" and patience in the industry, lessons learned through experience of delivering "crappy deliverables" due to prioritizing speed over quality; the expectation is higher quality work, even if it means exceeding initial deadlines.
Entry-Level Positions For Aspiring Firmware Engineers at Zoox
For entry-level positions in firmware, Ryan, a Firmware Manager at Zoox, suggests gaining "experience as a technical contributor," such as a "research and development engineer" or "test engineer." He strongly advises aspiring managers to build a "good, I would say, five years of technical development work" foundation before transitioning into leadership to better understand "what the people that you're gonna be leading are doing."
Significant Career Lesson From A Firmware Manager At Zoox
Ryan, a Firmware Manager at Zoox, shared that a significant career lesson is that sometimes "it's better to ask forgiveness than ask permission," particularly when facing "analysis paralysis." This approach, used judiciously with professional maturity, has proven valuable in seizing opportunities and driving progress, even if it means taking calculated risks.
College Experiences That Helped A Firmware Manager At Zoox Succeed
Ryan's undergraduate experience highlights the importance of GPA, especially in major courses, noting that "in the technology world, there is a big importance to that". Further, graduate school proved pivotal in securing employment, with Ryan observing that "as soon as" they finished, "everybody was knocking down my door," demonstrating the value of advanced degrees in a competitive job market.
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