Software Development Intern - Software Intern DataRank Employee Review

Projects and Learning Opportunities: By far the greatest benefit to being at DataRank, personally, is the interesting and exciting projects I get to work on. Even as a junior software engineer at the company, I am working on complex data mining and machine learning tasks, on a massive dataset and in a modern powerful environment. Thanks to the mentorship of the more senior guys I work with, I'm able to tackle incredibly exciting projects that would otherwise be beyond my reach, and I truly look forward to work every day. I really can't say enough about how great the work and opportunities for growth are here. Management: I can't speak for other sections, but engineers at least are given a massive amount of freedom to choose when and where we work. Of course there are expectations of communication and consistent updates, but nobody bats an eye at working from home or taking a couple of days off for a trip. The founders ("management", but without the negative connotations that can come with the term) extend a LOT of trust to employees, and that's invaluable. The CTO codes just as much as any of the other developers while providing guidance on the projects he's not personally involved in. Company structure is very flat, and 99% of the time, your "boss" is just another person you work with who really knows what he or she is talking about. Company culture: There's a lot of camaraderie - as other reviews have mentioned, co-workers are very much friends and family. Since we're still a small (though rapidly growing) company, everyone knows everyone and communication is very open and effortless. Compensation: Well above average for developers in the NWA area. DataRank aims to hire top engineering talent, and they do a great job of paying for that value. Time off: Paid vacation has no limit, and there's a minimum of 2 weeks required every year. I love this, since it gives a great work-life balance without introducing any competitiveness in the area of how much time you take off. Employees routinely make the most of this program, and you can tell that it really pays off in the increased productivity that comes from happy, content employees. Again, it's very much on an honor system, which seems to be working pretty well.

There's currently no 401k available, though we've been told it's in the works. Dental insurance is also optional and is entirely at the employee's expense.

DataRank is an incredible place to work. Every single member of the team here is treated as important and valuable. Personal growth is not only encouraged, but sought after by every employee here. "Open door policy" doesn't begin to describe how willing the people at DataRank are to help you or teach you something new. Everyone is friends, and culture/employee happiness is the first priority of the leaders here. It is truly a place where you WANT to be rather than a place where you HAVE to be. Hard work and personal ambition are extremely important, and everyone has a lot of room to carve out their own role and chase what they're interested in doing.

If you are not a self-starter, DataRank is probably not the place for you. You need to be able to focus on your own goals and set yourself up for success, no one else will hold your hand. Strong motivation to work hard and make real change is definitely necessary to be successful at DataRank. Since it is a relatively young start-up, things often change or need to be reassessed. Therefore, flexibility and a willingness to change and grow is of tantamount importance.