From Mittweida to California

Mr Eder, you studied computer science whilst working at Mittweida University of Applied Sciences, and you now work in software development at LinkedIn. How did your degree contribute to your career?

David Eder: Studying computer science in Mittweida definitely helped me to get much more involved in software engineering. I’d had some experience with it during my previous training, but it was only through my degree that I began writing software for the media sector. My degree gave me the motivation I needed and helped me progress. I studied via distance learning. I did most of my studying in Graz whilst working, and we then sat the exams in Mittweida. I’ve completed several degree programmes, but the one in Mittweida was by far the best. The excellent organisation there made it easier to stay on track. In other distance-learning programmes, it’s quite possible to lose touch and fall behind.

How did it come about that you emigrated to the US?

Eder: It’s a long story. To cut a long story short: LinkedIn took over my former Austrian employer in 2015 and, following Microsoft’s acquisition in 2016, integrated it into LinkedIn Learning, its online learning brand. So I’ve actually been working for the same company for nine years now – a company that originally produced multilingual video tutorials in Graz. Later, at LinkedIn, I initially worked in the recording department producing coaching sessions and video tutorials, a department that kept growing. I’ve risen from being the former studio manager in Graz to become a Lead Software Engineer. Moving to the area near LinkedIn’s headquarters near Santa Barbara in California was a logical next step, but due to the pandemic, it didn’t happen until February 2022.

What are your responsibilities?

Eder: We’re now a dedicated software engineering team, spread across the globe. Every year, LinkedIn Learning produces four times as much content as Netflix, for example, produces in the same period. Just under 4,000 videos or video training courses are created annually. My team and I work on software that automatically processes these large volumes of data to make the process easier for our colleagues. Among other things, we have what we call ‘Whisper Booths’. These are small, soundproofed rooms where the experts sit and record their videos. This can quickly amount to up to 100 hours of material per booth. Even before recording begins, our software checks, for example, whether the equipment is working correctly. This is a classic example of computer science at the interface with electrical engineering: a real-time system for fault diagnosis that monitors hardware and signals. Why this is so important: the speakers usually produce their videos for LinkedIn Learning alongside their day jobs and are no longer on site once the recording is finished. If there were a glitch during the recording and we didn’t spot it in time, it would be a real problem for the colleagues who then edit the material and make it available online. Thanks to Microsoft, we’re now also in the cloud business and are working on setting up studios worldwide. This includes large studios where people speak in front of the camera. It’s always something different, which is why it’s really exciting.

You’re working in your dream job. What advice would you give to new and prospective students?

Eder: It’s by no means just about theoretical training; practical experience is just as important. Try to start working early on in the field you want to work in later on. You can do this even whilst studying full-time – even if it’s just a few hours a week or an internship during the summer break. It’s incredibly important to gain experience. I’m very glad that I was able to combine my studies with work. That’s five years’ experience that I wouldn’t otherwise have now.

Further information

• Courses offered by the Faculty Applied Computer Sciences and Biosciences
• About studying at Mittweida University of Applied Sciences