When: Wednesday, November 19, 2025
Time: 3:00 PM
Where: RB 104
Title: Landing the Tech Job: A Practical Guide for CS Students
Presented By: Dr. Lin Zhang – Eli Lilly and Company
Abstract: In today's competitive tech landscape, transitioning from coursework to a career in industry requires more than just strong technical skills. This talk is designed to demystify the industry job-hunting process for computer science students at all levels. Drawing from a journey that spans a Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellowship, and ultimately a senior role in industry, I will share a practical framework for navigating the path from student to professional. We will cover the essential components of a successful industry job search, including:
- Crafting a compelling CV and resume that stands out to recruiters.
- Preparing effectively for technical interviews (coding, algorithms, and system design).
- Leveraging academic and personal project experience to demonstrate impact.
- Proactive strategies for monitoring job opportunities and "hunting" for the right role.
- The critical, and often overlooked, importance of professional networking.
While our main focus will be on securing a role in industry, we'll also briefly touch on how these strategies compare to applying for academic positions like Ph.D. programs or postdoctoral research. The goal is to provide students with a clear, actionable roadmap to help them prepare for their next steps, primarily in an industry R&D lab, a tech startup, or a corporate tech role.
Bio: Dr. Lin Zhang is a GenAI Data Scientist at Eli Lilly and Company, where his work focuses on generative AI, multimodal large language models (LLMs), document processing, and document generation. Previously, he was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Pennsylvania. His research there explored the use of context engineering and multimodal LLMs to enhance the safety of autonomous driving systems. Dr. Zhang earned his Ph.D. in Computer and Information Science and Engineering from Syracuse University, where his research centered on the security of cyber-physical systems, such as drones and electric vehicles, especially attack detection and recovery.
Light refreshments will be served