Hard though it might seem to believe, 2023 is starting to come within reach.
With the changing seasons and slow, incoming creep of a new year, the prospect of new beginnings starts to well up.
It can take a lot to attract someone to a new opportunity. Of course, job content is a fundamental draw, as is salary, perks and benefits, culture and other intangibles. Yet, without a compelling cast of people bringing it all to life, the luster dulls.
AuditBoard, the Cerritos-headquartered risk management tool, and Spartan, the Los Alamitos-headquartered company specializing in applying radar expertise to automated vehicles, are a pair of organizations looking for talent. The colleagues at each? “Humble” and “adaptable,” respectively, according to team members with whom Built In LA connected.
“Humility is in the AuditBoard DNA,” Senior L&D Manager Justine Martinez said, while Spartan Senior Software Engineer Patrick Wu observed, “We must be able to pivot quickly in order to make an impression on the industry.”
Sound like the talent alongside which you’d like to apply your talents? Read on to learn more about the team members at the two local companies — and what makes now an apt time to join the ride.
What's one word you would use to describe your colleagues?
Humble. My colleagues are extremely intelligent and have deep knowledge of our industry and the people we serve. They’re also incredible people who have varying degrees of interests and passions. I’ve met a former Olympian, world travelers, triathletes and others who have contributed significantly in making this world a better place. In spite of all of these accomplishments, everyone is approachable, kind and open to share their personal and professional smarts and experiences. Humility is in the AuditBoard DNA.
My colleagues are extremely intelligent and have deep knowledge of our industry and the people we serve.”
Why is your industry an exciting place to work right now, and what role does your company play within it?
The last few years have taught us that there are many things that are beyond our control. Risks exist everywhere, but we’re all in it together. Through our connected risk model, AuditBoard is helping the world manage risk. It’s gratifying to know that the work we do positively impacts the people we serve, creating positive ripple effects in a world full of ambiguity and uncertainty. I couldn’t have asked for a better company to be a part of.
What's one word you would use to describe your colleagues?
Adaptable. At a tech startup, the goal posts are always moving. We must be able to pivot quickly in order to make an impression on the industry. We may need to focus on simulation and visual demos one week and then switch to new software features and integration the next. Being adaptable at Spartan means that even though we often shift towards different efforts, we’re still moving forward.
Being adaptable at Spartan means that even though we often shift towards different efforts, we’re still moving forward.”
We once did a team exercise to figure out what traits we like to see in new colleagues. Along with being adaptable, I put “good vibes” and “resourceful.” These are my top three traits I like to see. Innate technical skill is also important, but when you’re on the edge of new technology, you simply can’t know everything. To me, a resourceful colleague can stitch together a working solution without knowing all the details.
Finally “good vibes” is the last trait I look for. It might sound vague or cheesy, but it really just means being fun to work with. You spend 40 hours a week with your colleagues; you don’t want to dislike them. I am a firm believer that two above-average engineers who get along can accomplish more than two genius prodigies who don’t.
Why is your industry an exciting place to work right now, and what role does your company play within it?
Spartan works in the automated automotive space. It’s a really exciting industry to be in. How do you get from point A to B using a computer instead of a human, while handling all the factors that come with day-to-day driving?
You’ll hear a lot about how companies are using cameras and lidar for automated driving and how you can make those work with sophisticated machine learning algorithms. However, the processing and power consumption needed by those systems can cost a fortune to the common consumer and are not always reliable — just look at what happens to both those sensors if it’s a foggy day or if it even gets a splash of dirt.
Spartan focuses on using older technology (radar sensors) in these new ways (automated driving). For whatever reason, nobody wants to talk about radar — maybe because the technology is older or the results can be noisy. We're almost like the underdogs in that sense, which is actually exciting. Using the skill sets found at Spartan, we’re enhancing radar sensors to match performance of both lidar and camera — all while making the solution more affordable, where the savings get passed down to the common consumer.
