Graduate Story: Edwin Padilla ’16, Vanguard
![Edwin Padilla '16 works at the nexus of AI, machine learning, data science and management, leading a technical team at Vanguard.](/images/padilla_2_700w_copy.jpg")
"“The technical skills are very relevant, but what becomes more important in my role is being able to bridge that gap between the technical side and the business side," says Edwin Padilla '16, who manages a technical team at Vanguard.
Dickinson majors: Computer science and music.
Current role: Technical lead and artificial intelligence (AI) and machine-learning (ML) data scientist, Vanguard
Overview
As an AI and ML data scientist and team manager, Edwin Padilla ‘16 works closely with clients and data scientists to create predictive models and develop tailored approaches to each project. His job requires not just technical proficiency but also exceptional people skills and the ability to analyze, learn and think strategically.
How he got there
Padilla attended Dickinson through a Posse Foundation Leadership Scholarship for Academic Excellence and was involved with several music ensembles. At a Career Center event connecting students with alumni, he met fellow Dickinsonian Darrell Pacheco ’12 and learned about a technology-leadership program at Vanguard. He applied, was accepted and joined Vanguard immediately after graduation.
Rotating from department to department as a full stack engineer, Padilla took on a side project, researching ways to improve understanding and conversational facility for AI-powered tools like Alexa and Google Home. Recognizing a prime opportunity, Padilla read books and articles about data science and emerging AI technologies in his spare time and also took YouTube courses.
“I saw AI as the next wave,” he remembers. "I wanted to learn all I could."
Padilla then moved up the ranks, transitioning from full stack engineer to data scientist to AI specialist to technical lead. Now in his role as technical lead and manager, Padilla directs a team of more than 10 data scientists, working at the nexus of analytics, AI and machine-learning.
What it takes
Data scientists are increasingly tapping AI’s potential to analyze huge data sets efficiently, offer new insights and assist with problem-solving and report-writing. Lifelong learning is essential: As new and revised tools appear on the horizon, Padilla does the research, mindful to differentiate hype from fact as he weighs risks and benefits. He also must provide upskilling opportunities and develop protocols as needed.
“AI is exciting because of the possibilities, but with that excitement comes the need for responsibility. You need to be realistic about what it can do and what it can't do, and you need to be aware of ethical considerations, like bias, fairness and transparency and also take security and intellectual-property factors under consideration,” he says. “And then you need to be strategic about how you use a new tool: Does it fit into your corporation’s mission? How will you train or adapt the model to meet your needs?”
Managing a team of data scientists during a time of industrywide innovations also requires considerable emotional intelligence and relationship-building skills. Padilla enjoys the chance to bring both “hard” and “soft” skills to the table every day.
“The technical skills are very relevant, but what becomes more important in my role is being able to bridge that gap between the technical side and the business side—understanding what clients need, how the business works—and being able to build trust with your team and your clients,” he says. “You need to be able to communicate complex technical concepts in a way that’s understandable to someone who might not have that technical background, and you also need to be able to communicate well to build trust with your team.”
A positive view
“The technical skills are very relevant, but what becomes more important in my role is ... understanding what clients need, how the business works—and being able to build trust with your team and your clients." —Edwin Padilla '16
Padilla sees a growing awareness in his industry of the need for careful evaluation and application of AI technology, and he’s excited by the good AI can do. With time at a premium, he uses AI to enhance his own productivity.
“We live in such a distracted world, and using AI as an assistant allows you to focus on the things that only you can bring to your job,” Padilla explains. “For example, I know my skill set is thinking about strategy. If AI can help me with the little details on my PowerPoint about Python, it frees me up to strategize.”
Learn more about other Dickinson alumni working with AI.
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Published May 31, 2024