A good internship program should offer challenging projects that allow interns to not only learn, but make an impact from day one. It should also meet interns where they are, and offer support to grow, develop, and come together as an inclusive community. Four current (and seriously impressive) interns at Rubrik share their experiences on the work they’ve accomplished, the support they’ve received, and advice for those interested in becoming an intern themselves. We give our interns meaningful work because we know it will lead to meaningful results. I’m truly inspired by these interns and continue to be amazed by what they’ve been able to accomplish.
Meet the Interns:
Ellen is a software engineering intern and currently an undergrad going into her senior year at Yale. While she is currently studying computer science, she made a change in her original major of chemistry after realizing her passion for solving problems through programming.
Meghana is currently pursuing her final semester of master of computer applications and is working as a Customer Success Engineer Intern in Rubrik India. Meghana’s interests don’t stop at the technical, she always enjoys dancing, drawing, and traveling.
Naudia, a legal intern, is a first-generation law student, and first-generation Jamaican-American. Naudia is currently a 3rd-year law student at The Southern University Law Center, one of the six Historically Black Law Schools, where she serves as the Student Bar Association President.
Cristian is a software engineering intern and was born in Ecuador where he got both his degree and worked as an engineer. He later decided to start a new career in software development and is currently studying at the University of Texas at Arlington.
Tell us about the project you are working on. What impact did this project have on yourself or the company?
Ellen: I'm currently working on a Slack ChatOps service for our internal resource management tool, Bodega. This project will allow our engineers to easily use Bodega through Slack instead of a virtual machine, and it will also help debug issues that might occur with Bodega. When this service is rolled out, every engineer who interacts with Bodega will be able to use it, and it's been cool to be able to work on a project with such impact.
Cristian: I am part of the Infinity Oracle Team, as Oracle is one of the most adopted database systems worldwide. The team is responsible for implementing the software that takes care of the Oracle workloads, thus having a reliable product is critical and the availability of metrics will help the Engineers to successfully perform their job. The main objective of my project is to set up the infrastructure for the collection of different Oracle metrics based on the information that the CDM nodes provide and to build dashboards with the help of graphical tools like Tableau and Grafana. The metrics will allow Oracle Engineers to allow Rubrik to make better decisions with the analysis of the collected data and reduce the time to troubleshoot any specific reported problem.
How has your internship at Rubrik helped you learn or grow?
Ellen: Aside from learning new technical skills and concepts, I've gained a deeper understanding of and appreciation for what it means to work as a member of a team. As a student, I spend most of my time working on projects/homework independently, but in my internship, I can't thrive if I try to work on everything by myself. I've learned that the balance between independence and collaboration is essential for growth. Coming in, I was so nervous that I would have to learn everything on my own, but the people around me have fostered an environment where I don't feel nervous asking questions.
Cristian: The weeks at Rubrik as a Software Engineering Intern has been the best learning experience I have ever had. I've had the opportunity to learn from the greatest software engineers that are part of the different teams across the company, and who are open to sharing their knowledge and expertise whenever I require it. Having the opportunity to work on an important project for the company has given me the real-world experience I was looking for.
How have you gotten involved in the Rubrik community?
Cristian: Since the start of my internship I have chosen to be part of the ¡Adelante! employee community. I consider this the best way to communicate to other employees about what it is to be a Latino, our culture, and our mestizo heritage. I have also had the opportunity to learn about the culture and life of people from other Latin American countries. The Hispanic community is broad and diverse, so each country contributes with its particular folklore and customs.
When you look back on your summer at Rubrik, what is one takeaway you'll remember/carry with you moving forward?
Meghana: The training and development opportunities during the internship program were high quality, and I learned many things that were not taught during my college days. I’ve been exposed to a variety of customer cases and have learned best practices on how to handle them. I am eager to apply what I learned during the internship program, continue to learn more, and keep moving forward with a broad mindset.
Naudia: Be flexible, and utilize critical thinking skills with all your tasks. At a start-up technology company, you often have to think outside the box to meet the needs of the company. A great example of this was the creation of the Commercial Legal Playbook for the Commercial Legal team. I had to complete initial research, and adjust my ideas to meet the current needs of the attorneys here at Rubrik. The Commercial Legal Team provided me with a wealth of information, and a collaborative effort to make this project successful.
Knowing what you know now, what is one piece of advice you’d give to future Rubrik interns?
Naudia: An inquisitive spirit allows you to find personal interest, and a great level of detail with the people that you work with, and the projects that you work on. A great example of this is when I assisted the Corporate Legal, Compliance, and Sales team to create a new geographical guide to aid in the sales of our software, and SaaS product while remaining in compliance. I took the time to learn more about our products offered, current privacy laws, and the high-level ins and outs of Corporate Legal.
Cristian: Use your time wisely, and balance the available time between learning and working. I'd recommend joining one of the various communities and helping create global awareness. Learn as much as possible, ask as many questions as you can, and remember mentors are there to support you in any doubt that you have. Take advantage of being part of one of the best places to work.
What is your favorite RIVET value? Why?
Ellen: My favorite value is Transparency. Transparency allows for trust and collaboration, which are essential for teamwork.
Meghana: My favorite RIVET value is Relentless because to me it means never give up. It motivates us and encourages employees to be creative and come up with innovative ideas and solutions.
Consider an internship at Rubrik
All four interns agree they have been able to make an impact quickly by working on real projects that were aligned with strategic business goals. But they weren’t doing it alone - Rubrik interns are mentored by our senior team members to support their career development and experience.
Learn more about our global intern program today.