If you’ve been following along in our Employee Spotlight Series, you know PadSplit has grown from a handful of team members to more than 100 fully-remote employees located across multiple countries (and we’re hiring) over the past four years.
We want you to meet the employees behind the keys. Next up in the PadSplit Employee Spotlight Series is Val Garland, Data Scientist at PadSplit.
Val Garland, Data Scientist at PadSplit
The PadSplit team is fully remote. Tell us where you’re based.
New York City, NY
When and how did you join the PadSplit team?
I joined the team in July 2021. I’ve always wanted to work for a company where I could contribute to a goal that innovatively helped people. PadSplit does just that, with an immediate positive impact for Hosts and Members. On top of that, PadSplit is very data-driven, so it was a no-brainer for me.
What is your favorite core value and why?
This is an easy answer: High Integrity! I’ve always thought that honesty is the best policy. When we’re honest, we can build trustworthy relationships; with that, we can work together and overcome obstacles and disrupt limits.
What does a day in the life of a Data Scientist look like for you?
To stay on top of things, the first half-hour of my day is spent reading emails and Slack messages. Then, I attend the best stand-up (I’m biased, but it’s true!) with the Business Intelligence team. During this time, we can discuss our projects and any blockers. A lot of brainstorming happens here, and we share knowledge with one another; it’s a perfect spot for growth.
After stand-up, I like to tackle any small tasks on my list, such as updating reports or checking in on KPIs. By this time, it’s lunch (time flies when you’re having fun!), and I grab a snack and cup of tea.
Most meetings happen in EST afternoon, where everyone from the Pacific coast to the far lands of Asia can join in. We discuss longer-term projects and collaborate on ideas.
With all updates and small tasks out of the way, I focus on larger projects in the late afternoon, where I primarily run SQL queries and Python scripts.
If anything pops up throughout the day, Slack is my best friend! Everyone at PadSplit is easy to reach, and everyone is willing to help.
What are you working on that you are most excited about? Why?
I’m currently working on a propensity model that will help us answer how likely someone would join PadSplit, which to me sounds like being a fortune teller (who wouldn’t want to be able to predict the future). This model will also let us highlight the features and qualities that potential Members look for at PadSplit, which will enable us to build a better and more user-driven product.
How do you stay engaged with your team in a remote environment? What does collaboration look like in a remote environment?
The Business Intelligence team is my second family; we’re very close-knit. We start our days together and stay in touch every day through Slack and Google Meet. It never feels like we’re not in the same room since we often communicate without barriers.
Everyone comes from different backgrounds, and I can genuinely say that I’m always curious to see what ideas and solutions my teammates bring to the table.
Collaboration is easy when teams want to create the best experience in-house and out — everyone at PadSplit shares this goal, making work a refreshing experience.
In our weekly All Hands meeting as an ice breaker, we ask new employees to share two truths and a lie about themselves for the team to guess. Let’s play with you. Tell us two truths and a lie about yourself.
I’ve lived in 4 countries and 3 continents.
I used to work in the Arctic.
I go sky-diving at least once a year.
Thanks for sharing more about what you do, Val! Stay connected with Val and PadSplit on LinkedIn.
Ready to join the PadSplit team? Check out our open positions.
Psst: Val is terrified of heights, and she tells us you couldn’t pay her $1M to jump out of an airplane. Did you guess correctly?
