Meet Richard Everett, the former intern turned intern manager at DeepMind. Richard shares his journey to DeepMind and offers valuable tips and advice for aspiring DeepMinders. If you’re interested in applying, keep an eye out for the 2023 internship applications opening on September 16th at https://dpmd.ai/internshipsatdeepmind.
Richard’s path to DeepMind started with his love for multiplayer video games as a child. He was fascinated by the interaction between human players and intelligent computer-controlled players, which sparked his interest in AI. He pursued a degree in computer science and later decided to continue towards a PhD after working on research projects with professors.
In 2016, Richard came across DeepMind’s research and found it inspiring for his own work. He applied for an internship but didn’t receive an offer initially. However, he reapplied the following year and successfully got the internship, which eventually led to a full-time offer. Now, Richard works on AI projects at DeepMind and helps other interns going through the same experience.
If you’re curious about the internship interview process, it has evolved since Richard applied. Nowadays, it typically lasts a few months and includes technical and team interviews. In his application, Richard expressed his interest in working with specific researchers and had the opportunity to speak with them after his technical interview.
To prepare for the technical interview, Richard revisited his first-year undergraduate courses on mathematics, statistics, and computer science. He also practiced coding exercises and found it helpful to talk through his thought process. For the team interviews, he reviewed the team’s recent work and prepared questions about their collaboration style and past internships.
Joining DeepMind full-time was an exciting experience for Richard, but it took some time to find his footing among the numerous projects and brilliant minds at the company. As an intern, focusing on one project within a limited timeframe can be challenging when there are so many exciting opportunities. Richard now enjoys supporting new starters who face the same dilemma.
Richard’s involvement in the internship program as a full-time employee stems from his desire to give back and support future interns. He coordinates his team’s internship program and actively participates in improving the overall program at DeepMind. He interviews, mentors, and manages interns, and engages in outreach efforts to connect with potential candidates.
Interns at DeepMind have the freedom to pursue diverse projects. Richard’s team, Game Theory and Multi-Agent, works closely with interns to co-develop projects tailored to their interests. The range of projects undertaken by interns is impressive, from designing multi-agent environments to applying game theory to language models.
The culture at DeepMind is one of kindness and collaboration. Richard has witnessed interns and new starters consistently remark on the friendliness and supportiveness of their colleagues. DeepMinders dedicate time and energy to engage in discussions, provide feedback, and collaborate on projects. This collaborative spirit extends to internships, where projects often involve multiple collaborators and advisors from various roles and teams across the company.
For aspiring DeepMind interns, Richard advises taking advantage of the easily accessible resources available to learn more about AI. Papers, blog posts, talks, open-source code, demos, and tutorials are just a few examples. Additionally, participating in workshops and conferences can provide valuable learning and mentorship opportunities. Richard emphasizes the importance of reaching out to professors and researchers in areas that excite you, as it can lead to discovering your passion for AI research.
Regardless of your background or AI/ML experience, DeepMind offers internship opportunities across different teams. Whether you’re an undergraduate or a PhD student studying technical, physical, or social sciences, there is likely an internship opportunity for you. Richard encourages talented students to overcome any self-doubt and apply, as DeepMind values diverse perspectives and skills.
If you’re considering applying for an internship at DeepMind, Richard’s genuine advice is simple: just do it. There’s nothing to lose, and both you and DeepMind have a lot to gain from the experience. So, go ahead and take that step towards a rewarding AI internship with DeepMind!