My Journey from Intern to Principal Engineer | McAfee Blogs

Written by Shuborno, Principal Engineer

At McAfee, architects and engineers continuously have opportunities to make decisions that impact customers and propel exciting and meaningful careers. They also work with leaders focused on supporting their learning and growth. These truths have been constant and driving forces for me throughout my 15+ years with the company.

Today, I am a Principal Engineer at McAfee. My job is to translate product and customer goals into the technology we must build to enable and sustain those goals. It is challenging, fulfilling work that impacts 40 million customers around the world and motivates me every day.

This role is also a high in my personal career journey, one that started with a McAfee internship while I was a student at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada.

Leadership support fuels confidence and growth

Supportive leadership is an important, and differentiating, element of McAfee’s culture. Being promoted to Principal Engineer was, of course, an incredibly proud moment in my career, but the support and encouragement of my managers and mentors helped me get there.

When I moved into the Software Architect role, I met with the head of Consumer Engineering who — to my surprise — arranged for the Chief Architect to mentor me. Things took off from there.

Jeremy, one of my mentors, helped me realize the impact I could make by asking a simple question: “If there is something important that needs to be done, why aren’t you doing it?”

That encouragement, support, and coaching gave me the confidence and motivation to achieve the Principal Engineer career goal. It also helped me understand the importance of supportive leaders focused on helping their teams learn, grow, and succeed.

Thriving beyond office walls

Beyond the office, McAfee leaders supported my growth, too. Early on as an architect, my manager encouraged me to get involved with Toastmasters, an organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills. I’ve used skills gained there when presenting to fellow architects and engineers, C-level executives including the CTO, as well as during my Principal Engineer Committee Panel presentation. (Today, I’m also the Vice President of Education for my local Toastmasters Club!)

The leadership support I’ve experienced at McAfee enabled me to learn, grow, and thrive, inside and outside the office. I know that the same support will be available for you — and anyone who joins the McAfee team — because when McAfee employees thrive, McAfee thrives, too.

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