Data Science Hiring Process at McAfee

Global cybersecurity and antivirus software developer McAfee has been a security solutions provider to individuals and businesses for over three decades, ensuring that their digital assets remain safe and secure.

Founded by John McAfee in 1987, the company has grown to become a formidable force in the industry with over 6000 employees. The data science team of McAfee represents a key advantage in delivering both customer efficiencies and overall growth and success for McAfee. 

In an exclusive interaction with Analytics India Magazine, Brian Gaither, senior manager – Data Science at McAfee, shares how the company is consistently working towards developing and delivering AI models that provide measurable protection to its customers.

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Looking Into McAfee’s Data Science Team

A team of applied research Data Scientists with varied levels of experience under one manager makes up the Office of CTO AI Research team. The team is structured on research projects, which can be both larger, cross-functional team-based initiatives and smaller, individual projects.

Team members are strategically located around the world, including the US, Ireland and India.

The company uses Python, PySpark, Databricks, and AWS, and focuses on client-based and cloud-based technologies for analytics, model development, data access and model deployment. 

In Expansion Mode

McAfee is looking for data scientists for the ‘Office of chief technology officer AI Research’ team. The ideal candidate should have five to seven years of data scientist experience, preferably in cybersecurity.

For the present open positions, candidates with strong problem-solving skills that can be applied to data wrangling, exploratory data analysis, data visualisation, model development, model measurement, model deployment, and model monitoring will be preferred. 

Interview Process

The interview process consists of three to four rounds to assess the candidates’ technical and communication skills.  

Round 1: The recruiter will make the first call to a selected applicant to learn more about their job history, expectations, and soft skills. 

Round 2: The hiring manager will interview the individual to verify their experience. 

Round 3: The candidate will then participate in a panel interview with two to three data scientists from the team to go through the details of the projects they have worked on and check their math and computational abilities. After participating in a data challenge, candidates will submit their findings to the interview panel.

What it Takes to Join the Team

Candidates for the data science team should have a solid foundation in the principles of data science, good computer science abilities, a background in cyber security, strong teamwork and communication skills, and more.

“Once a candidate is hired, they are measured based on objectives. Organisationally, the firm has specific goals and objectives they aim to meet and our project work aims to meet those objectives. Team members take on various projects throughout a given year in pursuit of these objectives, and team members are assessed based on their performance,” said Gaither.

Dos and Don’ts

When asked to elaborate on a work experience on a resume, candidates often only provide surface-level information instead of delving deeper and explaining the reasoning behind using the tools or techniques. 

It is essential for data scientists to comprehend experiment results in-depth, including the reasons behind their outcomes. This helps guarantee that the technique is repeatable and that the recommendations are founded on strong concepts.

Work Culture

At McAfee, the Office of the CTO data science team members are at the forefront of driving innovation. Team members are passionate about their work and understand its global impact on people’s lives.

The company aims to create a collaborative and inclusive culture where team members can flourish and do their best work. It offers competitive compensation and benefits to ensure that its team members are well taken care of. Its culture promotes transparency, encourages data exploration and experimentation, and provides ample opportunities for growth and development.

Giather added that McAfee ensures a positive work-life balance, including perks such as flexible work schedules, generous holidays, and a remote-first environment. 

Click here to apply.

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