Advice for tech careers in the Washington DC Area For Ex-Academic?
April 17, 2017 1:19 AM Subscribe
I'm a UK Computer Scientist with strong engineering skills moving to the Washington DC area who wants to transition to industry. I seek advice on what to do in order to maximize my potential income and be able to climb the corporate ladder effectively in the region.
I'm a late 30s UK based Computer Science Associate Professor at Cambridge University, a position I've held for 5 years now. I lead a team of 9 researchers who do core (virtualization, performance optimization, networking) based systems work.
For personal reasons, I have applied for, and been accepted to emigrate to the USA, specifically to the Washington DC area. My visa provides me an immediate green card, giving me open access to the entire labour market.
I have a decent academic background, I've been in research for the last 15 years and have a strong publication record in good conferences. I have successfully delivered a number on a number of contracts for DARPA and the NSF.
However, for personal reasons, and knowing I don't want to spend my life in academia, I've also maintained a strong out-of-work-hours engineering presence, moonlighting as a contractor for the last 9 years. I have a number of regular clients who provide me with regular work in this area -- the work is mostly low-level performance testing, optimization and scalability work (e.g. improving device driver performance or scaling applications out to many cores).
I have also previously co-founded and helped to build up two small companies, one of which failed and the other potters along but doesn't require my input anymore. I exist as a minority shareholder but have no commitments to it otherwise.
Work wise I feel I have a lot to offer; I am a decent technical contributor but I also have experience building software projects on contract and am versed in technical management.
In my current job my biggest frustration is the extremely low pay for the work I do and the lack of an upward mobility path. I believe given the work I do, the tradeoff between sacrificing autonomy for both of these properties is worth it. While an obvious transition path would be to switch to one of the many contract-research positions available in the Washington area, I want to avoid those because, once again, I believe the lack of financial gains and lack of an upward career path would mean I'd end up where I started.
I'm looking for general advice from people in the region on how:
(1) I can put my best foot forward transitioning to industry in this area. I am mostly interested in systems work and while I understand I might have to start from the bottom I'm not against doing so. What I would appreciate is advice on how to effectively build up a longer term career in tech in the US and what skills and properties I should be trying to cultivate to do so. Ideally, if in the next 5 years I fancied myself getting to VP/Director level at a tech firm in the area, what should I be do to maximise the probability of this happening?
(2) Companies of interest. If any MEFIer knows of places that might be of interest given my skillset and interest, I'd be interested to hear about them.
(3) Potential to do full time contracting: If anyone in the area knows how to break into that, I'd be really interested to hear how.
Thanks!
I'm a late 30s UK based Computer Science Associate Professor at Cambridge University, a position I've held for 5 years now. I lead a team of 9 researchers who do core (virtualization, performance optimization, networking) based systems work.
For personal reasons, I have applied for, and been accepted to emigrate to the USA, specifically to the Washington DC area. My visa provides me an immediate green card, giving me open access to the entire labour market.
I have a decent academic background, I've been in research for the last 15 years and have a strong publication record in good conferences. I have successfully delivered a number on a number of contracts for DARPA and the NSF.
However, for personal reasons, and knowing I don't want to spend my life in academia, I've also maintained a strong out-of-work-hours engineering presence, moonlighting as a contractor for the last 9 years. I have a number of regular clients who provide me with regular work in this area -- the work is mostly low-level performance testing, optimization and scalability work (e.g. improving device driver performance or scaling applications out to many cores).
I have also previously co-founded and helped to build up two small companies, one of which failed and the other potters along but doesn't require my input anymore. I exist as a minority shareholder but have no commitments to it otherwise.
Work wise I feel I have a lot to offer; I am a decent technical contributor but I also have experience building software projects on contract and am versed in technical management.
In my current job my biggest frustration is the extremely low pay for the work I do and the lack of an upward mobility path. I believe given the work I do, the tradeoff between sacrificing autonomy for both of these properties is worth it. While an obvious transition path would be to switch to one of the many contract-research positions available in the Washington area, I want to avoid those because, once again, I believe the lack of financial gains and lack of an upward career path would mean I'd end up where I started.
I'm looking for general advice from people in the region on how:
(1) I can put my best foot forward transitioning to industry in this area. I am mostly interested in systems work and while I understand I might have to start from the bottom I'm not against doing so. What I would appreciate is advice on how to effectively build up a longer term career in tech in the US and what skills and properties I should be trying to cultivate to do so. Ideally, if in the next 5 years I fancied myself getting to VP/Director level at a tech firm in the area, what should I be do to maximise the probability of this happening?
(2) Companies of interest. If any MEFIer knows of places that might be of interest given my skillset and interest, I'd be interested to hear about them.
(3) Potential to do full time contracting: If anyone in the area knows how to break into that, I'd be really interested to hear how.
Thanks!
A ton of educational technology companies are based in DC. But in general, your skills would be highly in demand here.
posted by nkknkk at 5:38 AM on April 17, 2017
posted by nkknkk at 5:38 AM on April 17, 2017
MeMail me!
posted by R a c h e l at 6:34 AM on April 17, 2017
posted by R a c h e l at 6:34 AM on April 17, 2017
Is there anything in your background that might prevent you from getting a security clearance? Contractors/consulting firms like Booz Allen are always looking for tech people.
posted by orrnyereg at 7:30 AM on April 17, 2017
posted by orrnyereg at 7:30 AM on April 17, 2017
Security clearances are restricted to American citizens, so OP won't be able to take any of those jobs with a green card (there are still a solid number of no-clearance-necessary jobs available in the area, though).
posted by Itaxpica at 11:36 AM on April 17, 2017
posted by Itaxpica at 11:36 AM on April 17, 2017
OP, feel free to MeMail me if you're interested in jobs in the edtech field here in DC:
posted by evoque at 12:18 PM on April 17, 2017
posted by evoque at 12:18 PM on April 17, 2017
There are always jobs both working at associations and at technology vendors. Association jobs won't usually pay big bucks, but many people I know started at associations and then moved over to the vendor side. MeMail me if you'd be interested in working either at a professional association or with a vendor (e.g. association management system, etc.)
posted by gone2croatan at 1:01 PM on April 17, 2017
posted by gone2croatan at 1:01 PM on April 17, 2017
The MITRE Corporation, a not-for-profit firm which operates multiple Federally Funded Research and Development Centers. The campus is west of D.C. in the Tysons Corner area. Check the website for opportunities. I can vouch it is a good place to work.
posted by JimDe at 1:48 PM on April 17, 2017
posted by JimDe at 1:48 PM on April 17, 2017
Many large tech companies in the Dulles area are always looking for talented engineers. You should not have to start at the bottom in this market. I work for a large one (that is not Verizon/AOL). Feel free to mail me and I can pass along your resume.
posted by teddymac at 7:18 PM on April 17, 2017
posted by teddymac at 7:18 PM on April 17, 2017
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by empath at 4:45 AM on April 17, 2017