In our “Meet the Team” series, we sit down with Inawisdom employees old and new, to find out more about what they do, how they got here and why they enjoy working at Inawisdom. Today we’re talking to Miles Hopper, a Data Engineer who joined the team last year.
Name: Miles Hopper
Job Title: Data Engineer, Data Management Practice
Joined Inawisdom: September 2022
What drew you to this role and to Inawisdom? What has your career path looked like up to this point?
I was drawn to Inawisdom primarily because of the company’s excellent reputation with AI / ML and as an Amazon Web Services (AWS) partner. Many companies are currently looking to AI and ML to solve business problems and generate value, so Inawisdom are in a prime position. I like that Inawisdom specifically focuses on delivering business value through its engagements, as it’s important to me that the projects I work on are truly making a difference to the client’s business. I was also excited by the recent acquisition of Inawisdom by Cognizant, as I believe this will provide even more opportunities for both personal and career development.
Prior to joining Inawisdom, I worked in a variety of data-related roles and have over six years’ experience. My first exposure to the power of data was at a UK-based wireless device manufacturer within the Smart Energy and IoT space. While studying my Master’s degree in Stockholm, I worked as a real-time data infrastructure system manager for a large energy company’s heat and power production and distribution assets. In this role, I helped solved business problems through data acquisition, data analysis, and data visualisation.
Following this, I joined the Customer Success division at a market-leading industrial enterprise software company, where I delivered support and services to customers across EMEA and spent some time working at their head office in the San Francisco Bay Area.
My career then led me back to Stockholm, where I began working at a leading consultancy and partner of the aforementioned software company. I worked on a variety of customer engagements which focused on delivering business value through data. I then moved to work at a large French consultancy and was engaged to join the Data Engineering Centre of Excellence team at an innovative manufacturing and robotics company. There I provided expertise with AWS, Python and Databricks to different business areas with varying data requirements, including digital marketing, e-commerce, and after sales.
What has been the highlight of your time at Inawisdom?
I have enjoyed the opportunity to work with customers across several different industries, using a variety of technologies. It’s been great to see the impact of my work on both our customers and Inawisdom itself.
I have also appreciated the support given for training and personal development. This has allowed me to focus on further developing my skills and to stay up-to-date with the latest technologies.
What are the main responsibilities within your role?
As a Data Engineer at Inawisdom, my main responsibilities include designing and implementing data pipelines, managing large data sets, and optimizing data storage and processing systems. I work closely with data scientists and analysts as part of agile cross-functional teams to ensure that the data we are working with is clean, accurate, and properly structured for analysis.
I also get to contribute to the development of the Data Management practice by helping to create internal documentation relating to different customers and technologies, and by regularly presenting interesting or note-worthy work to my colleagues.
What do you need to do to be a successful Data Engineer at Inawisdom?
I think it’s important to stay up-to-date on the latest technologies and trends in the field, as well as to continuously learn and grow as a professional. The projects we work on at Inawisdom can be really varied, so having an interest and desire to learn new technologies is invaluable. You also need to have strong problem-solving skills, good attention to detail, and the ability to work well in a cross-functional team environment.
Finally, I think it’s very important to have strong communication skills, since data engineering projects often involve working closely with data scientists, analysts, and other stakeholders to ensure that data is properly collected, processed, and used to solve business problems. Clear communication is essential in these situations to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that the data engineering efforts are aligned with the needs and goals of the organization. Additionally, Data Engineers often need to present their work to different stakeholders, so it’s important that you can explain the technical details of a project in a clear and understandable manner.
What would you say to anyone thinking about pursuing a career at Inawisdom?
I would say that a career at Inawisdom is a great opportunity for anyone interested in working with cutting-edge technologies and delivering data-driven business value to customers.
The company has a strong focus on professional development and provides numerous training opportunities and resources to help everyone on the team stay up-to-date on the latest trends and technologies in their field. This includes ten days a year, per person, specifically set aside for learning, which can be booked as needed in a similar way to annual leave.
The team environment at Inawisdom is also very supportive and collaborative, which makes for a great place to learn and grow as a professional. I would highly recommend pursuing a career at Inawisdom to anyone interested in a dynamic and challenging work environment!