Aparajita Rao is a Senior Engineering Manager who leads our Rubrik Security Cloud Platform Bangalore team (AKA the Legion team). The team provides the core platforms and systems that enable engineers to efficiently build and operate scalable and reliable applications in the cloud. Having joined Rubrik almost 4 years ago, Aparajita is a shining example of a leader who lifts her team up and empowers them to do their best work.
Q: You were at your last company for over 8 years before coming to Rubrik. Why did you decide to make the jump?
A: I wasn’t actively looking out for a change. When the recruiter reached out to me, I started reading about the company and found it interesting. Especially our value system (RIVET) was something that truly resonated with me. And after going through the interview process, I realized that Rubrik is definitely a workplace I would like to experience. A few things that really made Rubrik stand out to me were the transparency about the current challenges in the role I was being hired for, overall empathy for the employees, the focus on a people-centric management approach, and the depth & passion for engineering work that came through during my interviews to name a few! This has been a decision that has been validated over the years at Rubrik.
Q: What was the most interesting project or fulfilling thing that you’ve worked on at Rubrik?
A: One of the projects which I thoroughly enjoyed was Rubrik Cloud Vault. We GA-ed the product within 8 months after the product requirements had been drafted. This was the first time I was working on delivering a customer-facing product at Rubrik and had a great learning experience on the product journey from requirements to a mature product in the market now.
Q: You’re a firm believer in servant leadership. How do you apply that philosophy when managing your team?
A: I strongly believe that people are the greatest asset of an organization. My philosophy is to always lead with trust. Enable and empower the employees, then get out of their way so that they can focus on work without having someone breathing down their neck. I have regular check-ins with my team to ensure they have the right support in place.
Q: Which RIVET Value do you identify with the most?
A: Transparency is the value that resonates most with me. A transparent culture fosters a non-political & meritocratic environment, which is crucial for everyone to be able to do their best work.
Q: You mentioned that your favorite part about working at Rubrik is the people and how they elevate you. Can you share a bit more about what the company culture is like?
A: At Rubrik, I have the pleasure of working and interacting with some of the best in the industry. Every day is a new learning experience. In my whole tenure at the company, I have always seen people want to do what is best for the organization, and that comes in because their career growth is taken care of.
Rapid Fire Questions
Q: First job?
A: Intern at Honeywell
Q: Favorite hobby?
A: Reading books is one of my favorite hobbies since childhood. During the pandemic, I picked up gardening as a hobby.
Q: Hidden talent?
A: I make amazing brownies.
Q: Favorite movie?
A: Tough one, it keeps on changing based on my mood. I’ll go with the Harry Potter movies because I can re-watch them multiple times.
Q: Last vacation?
A: Goa. This is one of my favorite travel destinations to just go and chill on the beach.
Interested in innovating and advancing the Zero Trust Data Security platform? Take a look at our open positions on our engineering team here.