Our MediaWallah Careers Q&A offers one-on-ones talking MediaWallah, career paths, and life beyond work with MediaWallah teammates. In today’s post, Data Engineer and former competitive swimmer Henrique Medeiros Dos Reis talks about why he chose to start his data career at MediaWallah.
What’s your role at MediaWallah, and what do you do in the day-to-day?
I am a Data Engineer. My day-to-day work usually involves a lot of data processing and analysis of logs to see if things are working properly. I am always trying to improve scripts that deal with huge amounts of data and trying to make them better. We usually have team meetings almost every day, either to do some code reviews, or to see how the whole business is doing in general.
When did you join MediaWallah, and what drew you to the company?
I joined MediaWallah at the beginning of May 2022. The main reason why I chose MediaWallah is due to the fact that I saw a big opportunity to learn and develop my skills. I saw that I would have a lot of contact with people who have been working in data for a long time and have a lot of experience because of it. I believe that working closely with more experienced team members, specifically when starting, is extremely beneficial.
What are some ways you’ve advanced your own skill set since you’ve joined MW?
The most important skill that I have learned in MediaWallah is related to the automation process. The automated scripts and tests were challenging at the beginning because it was something I had not done before, but once I started getting the hang of it, it got a lot easier. By now, I’m able to automate processes on my own.
What are some things that excite you most about working for MediaWallah?
Definitely the close relationship that I have with the senior data engineer. I can always ask any question and get the answer in a matter of seconds. He is always helping me to check my code and steps to get things done correctly.
What’s something people might not know about you?
I have a very unusual schedule for a 22 years old! I wake up at 5am every morning and try to go to bed by 9:30pm. My career as a swimmer really messed up my sleeping schedule, so no matter what I try I always wake up this early.
Are there ways you’ve taken your career as a swimmer and applied it to your life at MW?
Athletic careers are about taking big challenges and trying to surpass them. Swimming in particular is an individual sport — it’s just you with your head in the water — so approaching every challenge with the right mindset is one of the most important skills you can have. Zeroing in on the right mindset helps me to stay focused and tackle challenges that seem hard, but are a lot of fun to surpass. The sense of accomplishment is one of the most rewarding feelings you can have—in swimming, and in data engineering! ◆
