“When someone uses my features and says they are convenient and helpful, it makes me happy. I feel lucky to be part of Intel, my team and my project.”
Irina Efode started as an intern at Intel when she was still a student. Now, she is a software engineer on the OpenVINO™ team in Russia. She has contributed to many aspects of the product, from plugin and test infrastructure to assisting with the big move to GitHub. In Irina’s experience, Intel offers great opportunities for aspiring software developers to begin and progress their career.
What does your team do at Intel?
I’m a Software Engineer with the OpenVINO™ project. My group is in charge of developing solutions, building libraries and producing analytics for this product. We’re busy because OpenVINO™ is open-source software and it’s really popular!
What projects have you worked on lately?
I was part of the team that moved OpenVINO™ to GitHub. Github is one of the largest platforms for open source software development in the world. It’s important for Intel to be part of this open-source community. By participating in a tech sharing environment, we are able to benefit from contributions and feedback from other developers. This also allows customers to take our latest updates and use them immediately in their own applications. Our customers can create solutions right in GitHub and are able to contribute to OpenVINO™ and communicate with us directly. Overall, this makes us better at what we do. I am proud to be part of this project and surprised to see how cool it was to get involvement from the outside world. It’s been great.
What makes your team successful?
We are most successful when we help each other. We have good relationships within the project, which makes a big difference. We enjoy each other’s company and, before quarantine, we did a lot of things together, including team building activities. We also like to get together outside of the office; maybe go to the bar after work or socialize at a restaurant. I’m glad to work with people whose company I enjoy.
What motivates you to come to work?
My motivation comes from developing something that can simplify someone’s tasks. When someone uses my features and says they are convenient and helpful, it makes me happy. I feel lucky to be part of Intel, my team and my project.
What opportunities and benefits do you have at Intel?
Intel provides many opportunities for employees to gain great work experience. We are also surrounded by colleagues who are willing to teach you along the way. Intel gives us many learning opportunities, too, including courses to expand our skills. We are encouraged to become experts in our field.
Why did you join Intel?
Intel is a well-known international company, so I knew them by reputation. During my university studies, we often used Intel products in class. I really wanted work experience with a high-quality company, so I joined Intel when I was still a student. The work was interesting from the start. At Intel, your colleagues joke with you and support you, even when the work is tough. It was the best place to start my career.
What makes OpenVINO™ unique compared to similar competitor products?
In simple terms, OpenVINO™ is a toolkit that allows you to develop high-level AI applications to infer a deep learning model. It can be deployed onto Intel hardware using an inference engine. High performance is important to our customers. We are creating solutions to work better and provide high-end performance. We’re all about customer satisfaction.
What do you appreciate about working at Intel in Russia?
Intel is a very competitive company. Nizhny Novgorod is home to other famous companies and competitors, but we stand out. Our engineers are involved in interesting work that excites them. We also offer great internships, which is a good motivation for all young people and students in our city. As an intern, you can gain experience and later join the team full time, as an engineer.
What skills do you need to work for Intel?
Well, you need good programming skills, but soft skills are also important. Communication is crucial in our project. There are many open positions at the moment and we are taking applications. If you’re ready to learn and get feedback, this could be the job for you. I would say, don’t be afraid to apply and interview for a position at Intel. Go for it!
Interested in opportunities at Intel? Check out available openings in Russia or explore all of Intel's available jobs.
We make the impossible possible and empower millions around the world through great technology, good corporate citizenship, and inclusive culture. We are Intel, and these are our stories.