Yan Yang

Software Engineer - AI/Data
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1. Can you tell us about your role as a Software Engineer, Data & AI at Gruve, and what a typical day looks like?

My role is all about understanding problems, designing solutions, and continuously optimizing them. A typical day often starts with a team sync or project meeting, followed by focused time working on implementation tasks. I also spend time exploring new approaches and technologies that can improve our solutions.

2. What projects are you currently working on, and how do they contribute to Gruve’s overall goals?

I’m currently working on an Intelligent Search project. Unlike traditional search, this solution uses AI to understand human language queries and surface relevant files more effectively. What’s most exciting is that the model helps us uncover relationships between different files, making knowledge discovery much more powerful. This directly supports Gruve’s broader goal of using AI to mine and unlock more value from data, ultimately helping teams work smarter and faster.

3. What attracted you to join Gruve, and what do you enjoy most about working here?

I was drawn to Gruve because of the opportunity to explore new technologies and be part of an innovative environment. What I enjoy most is working with highly experienced leadership and a team that encourages creativity and growth

4. How would you describe Gruve’s culture in just a few words?

Innovative, collaborative, and fast-paced.

5. What do you find most rewarding about your work?

The chance to learn constantly, take ownership of my projects, and grow quickly in both technical and professional skills.

6. Can you share an example of how you collaborate with colleagues or other teams?

When I was tasked with integrating a customer’s existing PHP-based solution, I initially wasn’t very familiar with PHP. I reached out to my tech lead, who connected me with a PHP expert from another team. They walked me through the codebase and architecture, which gave me the understanding I needed to successfully

integrate our solution. This kind of cross-team collaboration is something I really value at Gruve.

7. Since joining Gruve, what new skills or technologies have you picked up?

I’ve learned a lot since joining, including:

  • Deployment practices
  • Infrastructure tools like Kubernetes
  • Cloud services on Azure and AWS
  • AI Agent frameworks

 

8. What advice would you give someone considering a career as an AI/Data Engineer at Gruve?

Be open to learning new things and embrace the fast-paced environment. Don’t be afraid to bring your own ideas and solutions to the table — and be ready to back them up with data and results.