Introducing: Nuggets by Nina

Unpacking my experience in data science and navigating a career in big tech

Hi, I’m Nina 👋 I’ve worked in the data science field for over a decade with the last 5 years at Meta (Facebook).

During that time, I’ve been able to grow from a junior to a senior data scientist and, most recently, explore management. But the career journey I’ve taken has been a circuitous one — I’ve meandered from state and local government research to economic consulting to data science in big tech. In college, I was constantly plagued with the question: What am I going to do with the rest of my life? The truth is, I still don’t know what the future holds, but I’d like to pass on nuggets of wisdom to others trying to navigate their careers, especially those with an interest in the intersection of business and data.

With this aim, I am starting a weekly newsletter, Nuggets by Nina. You can think of it as a look behind the curtain of how I navigated my career journey to get to where I am, balancing interests in analytics and the arts, all while working on my emotional well-being. I’ve always loved writing and am embracing this opportunity to exercise my right brain more.

My goals with Nuggets by Nina are three-fold:

Supporting junior data scientists break into the industry

When I first aspired to join the tech industry, I did not know where to start. What type of roles should I go after with my liberal arts degree? Would I enjoy it? What types of skills did I need to acquire to crack the interview process with my unconventional background? Did I need to go back to grad school?

From mentoring and coaching others trying to break into data science, I found that so many early-career data scientists face the same existential questions. I’d like to share stories of my journey to provide inspiration and, hopefully, allow you to avoid the same mistakes I made along the way.

Advising on how to navigate big tech

Navigating the big tech “career jungle gym,” as Meta likes to call it, is certainly not for the faint of heart. Manager changes, reorgs upon reorgs, pressure to perform, and (lately) multiple rounds of layoffs are not what I expected when I entered the industry. Even more acute are the mental and physical health challenges this type of environment puts on its employees.

I was born and brought up in the Bay Area. Growing up in the heart of cutting-edge technology and startups was fascinating but challenging, in part because of its competitive environment. It was hard to not fall for comparisonitis. Now as an adult, I’m trying to unlearn toxic productivity and focus more on balance and doing less.

Building a supportive community

I’d love to build a supportive community of like-minded professionals in the data science and analytics industry. In particular, I am passionate about fostering and encouraging diverse perspectives in big tech, supporting people from all types of backgrounds. I’ve seen the power of having diverse voices in the room, in interpreting data, and in making product or business decisions. With my experience leading several women in data and analytics programming at Meta, I am particularly interested in supporting women to join and thrive in this industry.

If that sounds interesting to you, hit the subscribe button below and follow along.