21 Feb 2023
Name: Tham Qian Yu
Designation: Data Scientist, AI-Enabled Ops Support, Digital Hub
Qualifications: Bachelor of Science (Information Systems) with major in Business Analytics and Artificial Intelligence, Singapore Management University, 2021
My job
As part of DSTA’s Al-Enabled Ops Support team, my work involves problem framing, coding, dashboarding and discussions to elicit business needs and develop data-driven solutions. I also conduct data engineering and analytics studies, identifying patterns and anomalies to help stakeholders glean useful information, driving better and faster decision-making.
How I got my job
DSTA places great importance on harnessing science and technology to meet the defence needs of Singapore. This drew me to the organisation as I have a similar passion in technology, especially in the field of Artificial Intelligence. I managed to learn more about DSTA and honed my technical competencies through its events, such as BrainHack’s Today I Learned – AI Camp, which saw students undergo hands-on training and mentorship by DSTA engineers to build and train AI models in robots. My interview process involved one-to-one and panel interviews with domain heads, senior technical members and directors. I believe my ability to look beyond theoretical textbook concepts and showcase my technical expertise focusing on real-world capabilities have helped me land my role.
The highs and lows
I like that DSTA always encourages us to venture into emerging areas of technology to develop innovative solutions. I also have supportive teammates whose expertise I can always tap and whom I can work together with towards this common goal. A challenge would be to ensure that we stay abreast of the constantly shifting technological trends. Thankfully, we are given many opportunities to attend specialised training and partner with academic institutions to upskill ourselves.
My happiest moment at work
From developing a flight analytics system with the Republic of Singapore Air Force to performing digitalisation and analytics work, developing various data-driven solutions are my happiest moments at work. Being in a community filled with passionate collaborators who are willing to impart their technical expertise is also part of the joy of working in DSTA, as it allows me to continuously grow and learn.
Some advice
Plan your career path early and be open to new opportunities! Venture into different areas of interest and figure out where your passion lies. Through my experience in various internships and hackathons, I realised I wanted a job that I could grow in, build on what I had learnt in school and translate this knowledge into real-world applications. Securing your first job may seem daunting, but have confidence in yourself and you will achieve success!
This article was first published in gradsingapore.com. Read the publication
here.