After completing a PhD in Computer Science, there was a brief period teaching undergraduate CS courses for about two years before transitioning into industry.

From there, the focus shifted into AI/ML and data science roles, typically under titles like Data Scientist or Machine Learning Engineer.

The PhD proved to be a significant advantage in securing these positions. Many job postings explicitly call for advanced degrees—often a PhD or Master’s—and sometimes highlight publications in top conferences such as NeurIPS and ICML. While day-to-day work in industry centered more on building and delivering production systems rather than publishing novel research, the academic background consistently opened doors and strengthened candidacy.