Dropbox Career Growth & Development

What makes your role now a dream job? What do you get to do that you didn’t at other companies? 

What makes this role unique is the scope of the problem and the timing. We’re at a turning point in how knowledge work gets done, and Dropbox is investing deeply in AI to make that work more focused, creative and human. I lead both product and go-to-market for Dropbox Dash, so I get to work across the full lifecycle: from how we build the right capabilities into the product, to how we position and deliver them in-market. That dual lens is rare and personally energizing. Our team operates more like a startup than a traditional org. We experiment, ship quickly, and learn fast. But we’re also backed by a company that has a strong foundation of trust, reach and values. I’ve worked in a lot of high-growth environments, and this is one of the few places where the culture matches the ambition. You’re encouraged to take risks, supported by thoughtful collaborators, and still rewarded for holding a high bar for your craft.

What do you think helped you land the job? Were you able to bring any special expertise or project experience that Dropbox found valuable?

There wasn’t one thing; it was more the pattern across roles. I’ve built and scaled zero-to-one products, from early-stage concepts through growth inflection. At Meta, that included leading the Instagram growth team and building new messaging products at Messenger. At Shopify, I worked on the self-serve business and led the performance marketing org with a focus on making it as easy as possible for anyone to create a Shopify store around the world. I’ve also spent a lot of time thinking about how product and go-to-market functions integrate (I even co-wrote the book, Hacking Growth!). Not just how we build, but how those products are distributed, messaged and supported. That full-stack orientation matched what Dropbox needed. I try to operate with high agency, low ego and clear thinking. I think that combination of technical fluency, go-to-market depth and a practical mindset helped me stand out.

What do you think helps engineers move up quickly or be the top pick for a competitive employer? What should engineers seek out if they hope to move up or be hired by their “dream” company?

What separates great candidates is their ability to think and act like product owners. That means connecting your work to real outcomes — customer impact, business value and system-wide improvement. Craft is the baseline; engineers who ask “Why are we solving this?” or “How will this change behavior?” tend to stand out. It shows they’re thinking beyond their lane. The second trait I look for is agency. People who don’t wait for perfect specifications, who take initiative and iterate, tend to grow faster. That said, growth doesn’t just come from speed, it comes from clarity, from learning loops and from surrounding yourself with thoughtful peers. Look for environments that support experimentation and leaders who value product sense and curiosity as much as raw execution.

We make people great by giving them constructive feedback and supporting them and incentivizing them based on what’s best for the company. 

Give us a snapshot of what you do to stay on top of your engineering knowledge and skills. 

To stay sharp in my engineering skills, I like to learn by reading AND doing. I follow newsletters, tech blogs and industry publications to stay updated and participate in book clubs with my peers to analyze technical topics. Hands-on, I’ve joined several Dropbox programs that accelerated my craft, including an internal rotational program that allows engineers the opportunity to work on short-term initiatives outside of the immediate team. This expanded my expertise and exposure to new technologies. 

On top of that, I actively seek opportunities to apply new knowledge through training programs like Dropbox’s AI/ML camp and the Mobile Apprenticeship Program, where I gained Android development skills and completed a production-deployed project. I’ve also joined leadership initiatives like Elevate and LEAD to strengthen strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities. 

With AI’s rapid growth, I’ve integrated AI tools into my daily workflow and continually explore how they can enhance productivity and skillset. I make sure to regularly set aside time to focus on skill-building — whether through weekly self-learning or setting aside time blocks for more structured educational programs.

What are your go-to resources for keeping your engineering skills sharp?

I subscribe to a list of newsletters and blogs that cover a wide range of topics, helping me stay informed and gain insight into new tools, frameworks and industry best practices. Beyond reading, I actively participate in a number of company-provided training programs and take advantage of internal tools designed to facilitate continuous learning. These programs cover everything from technical deep dives into new technologies to soft skills development, ensuring that I’m always growing both technically and professionally. 

I also attend learning sessions organized by my team and wider company, where we share knowledge on what we’re working on, discuss challenges and explore new solutions together. In addition, collaborating on projects and seeking feedback from colleagues has been a great way to refine my skills, gain perspective and learn from others who bring different expertise and viewpoints.

What does the learning culture look like at your company or on your engineering team?

Continuous learning is deeply ingrained in Dropbox culture. Engineers are encouraged to take ownership of their professional growth through a wide range of learning programs. At the team level, we host regular knowledge-sharing tech talks where members present new insights, best practices and tools. Mentorship is also a key part of our culture, both through formal mentorship programs and informal peer mentoring. Engineers regularly collaborate on complex problems, exchanging ideas and approaches to drive collective learning and innovation.

How does your team cultivate a culture of learning, whether that’s through hackathons, lunch and learns, access to online courses or other resources?

As a technical lead for Dropbox Core, the team behind our file, sync, and share product, I help ensure learning is part of how we work every day. Each summer, we pause our regular projects for Hack Week: five days dedicated to exploring bold ideas, collaborating across teams and developing new skills. This spirit of innovation continues year-round through self-service training, from quick skills sessions like strategy planning to intensive programs such as the AI Academy and Ascent leadership program.

We also invest in peer-to-peer learning. Our mentor-matching program connects engaged mentees with experienced mentors, fostering growth on both sides. And we encourage creative knowledge-sharing, from tech talks to coding challenges, that bring engineers together across the company. By embedding continuous learning into our culture, Core keeps growing the skills that will shape Dropbox’s future.

How does this culture positively impact the work your team produces?

Learning and innovation deliver clear business value. Hack Week has produced product features used by millions. Many promoted engineers are recognized for sharing their work in forums like our annual offsite, where front-end engineers exchange technical insights, which has improved both the speed and quality of our engineering. Targeted programs like the AI Academy have helped expand the use of AI tools across the company, contributing to measurable productivity improvements in many teams. 

But just as importantly, creating a strong learning culture boosts engagement, happiness and retention, a cultural impact that is every bit as significant as the tangible gains in product quality, speed and productivity. Having a role in creating this culture — and sharing in the growth it creates for everyone — is a key reason I continue to be excited to work at Dropbox.

What advice would you give to other engineers or engineering leaders interested in creating a culture of learning on their own team?

Like anything, you start small and build up. A key point is recognizing that sharing is just as critical as consuming when creating a learning culture. I recommend taking a course every few months, but I’ve often learned just as much from peers who shared a hidden skill with me on Slack.

The next step, the one that truly builds culture, is encouraging that peer to add a bit of polish to their write-up and share it with the whole team. It seems small, but people notice when a colleague takes those few extra minutes to make a recommendation. That can quickly grow into a #tips-and-tricks Slack channel or an internal Confluence page, our shared knowledge base, filled with key insights and shortcuts.

The best of these can grow into recurring formats like weekly tech talks or brown-bag lunches — and, if momentum builds, even an annual offsite for front-end engineers. The key to accelerating this cycle is consistent support and recognition at every stage, with leaders celebrating not only the big wins but, most importantly, the small sparks that get everything started.