How A Quantum Computing Internship Helped My Data Science Career
A Q+A with Brahmani Thota, As told to Robert Davis, Technical Writer, IBM Quantum and Qiskit
One advantage of a career in computer science is just how easily many skills transfer from one discipline to the next. Someone might spend years working in IT support and then move on to network security or software engineering. A Python developer might take a role programming in Javascript or C#. In many cases, transitions like these mainly require a few weeks of on-the-job training or time spent working through an online course. But what about those who get their start in quantum computing? Students of quantum computing spend a lot of time mastering concepts and skills that may not directly translate to other areas of computer science. So what happens when a quantum developer transitions to working in classical computation?
Today, Brahmani Thota works as a data engineer at the healthcare services company Centene Corporation. However, just a year ago, Thota was busy completing the final semester of her master’s degree in data science at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, and approaching the end of a year-long tenure as a quantum computing developer intern at IBM Quantum. Thota says that while she doesn’t get the opportunity to use her knowledge of Qiskit or quantum computing fundamentals in her current role, she still thinks her time as a quantum developer intern was exceedingly valuable. In a recent interview, we sat down with Thota to talk about her experience as a quantum intern, how that experience helps her in the role she has now, and why she thinks learning about quantum computing is never a waste of time.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
You currently work as a data engineer. What does that role in entail?
In data engineering, you’re basically creating pipelines that allow data to move from point A to point B. I deal with healthcare data every day, so you don’t just have 1 or 2 GB of data, you have billions and billions of rows and hundreds of columns, so you need a basic understanding of Python and how different data management platforms work. It does require a lot of data science knowledge. You quickly realize the enormity of how much data our society collects every day, and how easy it is to store now because of the technology we have. It’s mind-blowing.
This time last year, you were wrapping up your master’s degree in data science, and also completing a quantum computing internship. How would you describe the connection between quantum computing and your studies in data science?
There wasn’t much of a direct connection to be honest. I applied and got the opportunity in the summer right after the start of the COVID pandemic, and I just wanted to give it a try. One of the advantages I had coming into the internship was that I already had a lot of Python experience, so when I started working with the Education team I quickly became a go-to person for developing websites and the Qiskit textbook playgrounds that allow users to practice writing their own code.
Something I realized was that you don’t need a physics degree and you don’t need to know everything about quantum computing to work in the field. You can work as a software engineer, you can work as a data engineer, or you can do whatever makes sense for you based on your background. I did hope to eventually transition to a full-time role in quantum, but unfortunately the timeline didn’t work with Visa requirements, so I had to accept a position somewhere else.
Have you found that any of the knowledge you gained or the skills you developed working in quantum have been useful in your new role as a data engineer in the healthcare sector?
I would say that I really grew as a person during my quantum internship. I learned how to set a proper schedule for myself, how to approach people in a corporate environment, and how to deliver presentations about my work. It was really my first corporate experience, so it definitely changed the way I work.
I also got to spend a lot of time improving my Python skills during the internship, which was definitely valuable. I don’t think I ever would have worked with UI development in Python if it had not been for IBM. During my internship I developed a lot of playgrounds for the Qiskit textbook, and I worked with Qiskit Finance on developing their Python module. I also developed the registration website for the Qiskit Global Summer School plus web projects. Before my internship, I hadn’t realized that you could use Python to build a UI, or that it was so exceptionally powerful for building playgrounds.
That’s very interesting. Did your internship have any long-lasting impacts on the way you think about or use Python?
This makes me think back to my interview for the internship, which involved answering a lot of programming questions. When I first learned Python, I learned it extensively for data science, and when I’m given a problem, my head generally jumps to thinking about how I would solve a problem like this in data science. So the interviewer asked me all these programming questions, and eventually he stopped and said: “You are thinking like a data scientist. Think like a Python developer.”
What he was saying was that even though I have a background in data science, it’s still important to realize that Python isn’t limited to data science. I hadn’t realized that my world was so wrapped up in being a data scientist. I had never really thought about the fact that the software industry isn’t just about data science or machine learning. It also includes front-end web development, applications, algorithmic research — even something as small as developing a minor Qiskit module for quantum computing — everything.
By the end of the internship, I think it really did strike me that Python is not just a small software language; it can be used by many people in numerous ways. You just have to understand that it isn’t just limited to one thing.
What about the job search itself? How did potential employers respond to your quantum computing experience when you were sending out resumes to get the role you have now?
I absolutely think people find it intriguing when you put your resume on the table and it includes something about quantum computing. For me it was like “Oh, you have an IT background and — surprisingly — you work with quantum computing.” So it does start a conversation. They’re curious about why I decided to work in a field like quantum computing, and I think that’s an advantage.
What would you say to someone who is interested in studying quantum computing, but who is afraid to get started because they think it’s too difficult or obscure?
I would say that is false, false, 100% false. If you had asked me this question a few years ago, I might have agreed, but the situation is changing rapidly. Right now you have exceptional resources for learning about quantum computing. You have textbooks that will explain it to you like a baby, even when you don’t have experience. I am terrible at physics, but today there are so many resources that you can always find an explanation that will make sense. So I don’t believe that it’s too difficult or too obscure anymore. The industry has changed; the times have changed.
And what would you say to someone who’s interested in studying quantum computing, but who thinks doing it would be a waste of time if they aren’t able to get a full-time role in the field?
That’s a very valid question, but what people have to understand is that the industry is growing. So if you have academic knowledge of quantum computing, if you have a degree in quantum computing, I think you are going to be able to get really good jobs because a lot of people are looking for master’s and PhD students with a background in quantum computing. We’re at a point in time where the supply is very much less than the demand.
I also think I am a very odd case: I was someone with IT knowledge trying to work in quantum computing. However the industry is changing right now, and I think the field is expanding rapidly. I think if I had started a year later, I almost certainly would have gone full-time. But if you have a lot of knowledge in quantum computing, or a degree in quantum computing, I think you are going get a lot of good professional opportunities in the field.
Interested in getting started with quantum computing? Check out our resources on the Qiskit page here!
