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I'm a Google staff engineer making $500K: How I stay competitive in AI

Dec 05, 2024 - businessinsider.com
Pushkar Singh, a 31-year-old Google engineering lead, shares his journey of breaking into the AI field without a Ph.D. He joined Google in 2015 as an L3 engineer straight out of college and moved to the ads AI space in 2017. He currently leads a team of 13 engineers, many of whom have doctorates, and works on AI models that power core features behind Google's big ad products. His total compensation by the end of 2024 will be over $519,000.

Singh attributes his success to his competitive coding background, research internships, and active efforts to stay updated in his field. He participates in a research paper reading group and volunteers to review research papers. Despite the competitiveness of the AI and machine learning field, Singh believes that regular upskilling is key to staying relevant, even for those with advanced degrees.

Key takeaways:

  • Pushkar Singh is an L6 engineer at Google, leading a team of 13 engineers in the ads AI space, with a base salary of $252,000 and total compensation over $519,000 by the end of 2024.
  • Despite not having a Ph.D., Singh has managed to excel in the AI field through his research internships, competitive coding background, and continuous efforts to stay updated in the rapidly changing industry.
  • Singh stays competitive by being part of a research paper reading group and volunteering to review new research papers, which allows him to stay updated on the latest findings and contribute to the research community.
  • He believes that while a degree can give a headstart in AI, it's crucial to regularly upskill to stay relevant in the field, and that the AI field is a good one to be in for those excited about new things and problem-solving.
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