At Verkada, we’re on a mission to protect people, property and privacy. As we continue to work towards this goal, we’re looking for bright, motivated individuals to join our team and help build products that keep people safe. To give you a sneak peek at what this looks like, we recently sat down with Software Engineering Intern, Gary Ye, to learn more about his experience and the impact he’s made during his time at Verkada.
Tell us about your role and team!
Hi, I’m Gary, a backend engineering intern on the Core Command team at Verkada! Our team owns the development of the core components of Verkada’s Command web application and core services like authentication, licensing and logging. Command is our web-based platform that allows users to manage their Verkada devices from any device, anywhere in the world. Currently, I’m spending most of my time working on our logging service.
Why did you join Verkada?
When I take on a new role, it’s important for me to feel excited about what the company does and its growth trajectory. One thing that stood out to me during my interview process was that Verkada was still rapidly growing and hiring while others were slowing down. They had even recently raised another round of funding from top silicon valley investors. Since joining Verkada, I feel even more excited about and connected to what we do, knowing that we are building some of the most cutting-edge products on the market.
Another thing that really stood out to me was the people. I had done some research before interviewing and was inspired by the amount of smart, talented engineers who were working for Verkada. These were the type of people I wanted to learn from and who I now get to work with closely every day.
Name one thing you learned as a Verkada Intern
At Verkada, I learned the importance of adopting a learning mindset. As an engineer, it’s important to always be building your skills. When new challenges arise, being able to adapt quickly can help you move forward in your career. During my internship, I have had so many opportunities to try new things and tackle new challenges which I have grown so much from.
What do you enjoy most about your Verkada internship experience?
The people! There are lots of companies out there that offer interesting technical challenges, but what makes Verkada stand out from the rest is the talented and friendly people I get to work with on a daily basis. Verkada frequently hosts events to network and meet new people within and outside of engineering, and it’s been really easy to make friends here. My direct team has also been extremely supportive, and the university recruiting team has made my transition into the role seamless.
What is some advice you’d give to students interested in Verkada?
I recommend that students work on personal projects that interest them to continue building their skills and gain hands-on experience. Internship interviews typically have a large emphasis on algorithms which are important, but I think hands-on experience is the most beneficial thing to have, whether it comes from passion projects, school assignments or other internships.
What do you love about the Bay Area?
From a professional standpoint, there is so much opportunity in the Bay Area, whether it’s potential job opportunities or being able to network with accomplished engineers.
Personally, I love the variety of fun things to do in the Bay. From exploring the nature surrounding the area to trying out a new restaurant in San Francisco, there’s plenty to do to fill up your weekends.
I’ve really enjoyed exploring the food scene in the Bay. I think there’s a healthy competition between restaurants that drive the cuisine here to be unique, elevated and delicious — the same goes for cafés. I’ve tried around 20 different cafés in the past two months alone!
Looking to grow your engineering skills at a Linkedin Top Start-up? Explore our early-career and internship opportunities: https://www.verkada.com/careers/engineering/#our-stories
