Data Scientist
Tell us about yourself
Hi, I am Cameron. I came to Processand through a career change from academia, specifically chemistry/materials research, via a business analyst role, where I really found myself in data science. I am originally from Australia, but have been living in Middle East and UK, where I met my wife, and together we moved to the Czech Republic. I am a devoted Wikipedia reader, I love carving wood, growing odd varieties of chili plants and studying obscure ways of fermenting food.
You recently switched from academia to the corporate world. Why the switch?
I needed a long-term job career progression which did not rely on moving around periodically and also allowed me to work remotely, if necessary. The hazards of working in labs also weighed heavily upon me and was certainly a factor in my switch. In addition, I felt like my skillset was not progressing, rather becoming more specific over time and I felt stagnant in my professional growth.
How has your background in academia influenced your approach to problem-solving or tackling challenges in your current role at Processand?
I think I am very much comfortable with approaching and working with subjects which I do not have much experience with, without being intimidated and being able to be up-to-speed quickly, which is an essential skill for being in professional services.
How does Processand support their employees in maintaining a healthy work-life balance, especially during challenging or busy periods?
Processand trusts its employees to carry out tasks as best fits the individual, as long as we meet our expected responsibilities. This allows for a healthy work-life balance and overworking is neither expected nor praised. This is especially useful when personal and family life commitments overlap with the ‘9-5’ window of typical professional work.
Much effort has been made to distribute work and responsibilities between employees so that not a single individual is overloaded with tasks, with great success. As a result of this we can share all of our successes and failures, so that being honest about either is not so intimidating and encourages an atmosphere of honesty and mutual respect.
What makes working at Processand special for you?
What is special for me is the range of backgrounds, both professionally and by nationality, present in the company. The talent of my colleagues can be astounding at times, yet never intimidating. This is such a strength for Processand, in addition to the focus on personal development, with a personal yearly budget for this purpose, in addition to events organized throughout the year.
What was your dream job when you were a kid?
When I was very small I wanted to be a bird of prey like an eagle! I think I did want to be a doctor or a scientist when I was young. As I got older, I tried to make the most destructive chemistry possible until I went into a real lab at which point I was trying my hardest to avoid those things.
I discovered later that what I really enjoy is learning and problem solving and I think that is why I find my current position so satisfying. Despite the end-result being something abstract for me sometimes, the process is something which I find really satisfying.
How do you unwind or de-stress after a particularly busy day at work?
I would not say that I have mastered this – I try to focus on my family, but this can be more stressful than not! I think the key for me is to have a clear separation of home and work and for this I have a fantastic office space here in Prague. I am an avid cook at home and love hosting and feeding friends.
What’s a skill you’ve developed since joining Processand?
I have learned how to work with people with a totally different perspective and professional background to myself, and how to explain topics with a sensitivity with respect to these in-mind. Also, a pragmatic and value-focused approach to problem solving is key here, and learning this has helped me both inside and outside of my professional life. I am also still constantly learning as I progress, with completely new topics for me like sales and organizational topics.
What advice would you give someone who wants to transition from academia to the corporate world?
I would say that you need to be quite self-motivated in order to transition, since the skillset is not identical but there is a lot of overlap. You need to prove you can learn and master new skills in a short time, be dynamic about your approach and open-minded to critical feedback. The working style is completely different so it is up to a candidate to prove that they can adapt, independent of their qualifications.
I think if I was a PhD candidate (never again!), I would try to incorporate more general IT and programming practice in my daily tasks wherever possible to be at least somewhat contemporary if I was to decide to move out of research.
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