IPN Spotlight: Amyn Jan (Technical Director with the US Government)
Amyn has spent over ten years with the US Government in various technical leadership roles working with diverse emerging technologies such as natural language processing, telematics & advanced cellular technologies. He is well-experienced in seeding several leading edge technical programs. Amyn has taught emerging technology classes in several US Government research forums as well as pioneered technical breakthroughs in this area. Prior to joining US Government, he spent ten years at private sector in applied research and product development.
Amyn holds a Master’s Degree in Electrical and Biomedical Engineering as well as an MBA.
What skills have helped you in your career?
• Critical thinking skills has served me well, in particular when you are dealing with complex ill-defined situations. Ability to evaluate and use multiple sources of information to effectively inform decisions and outcomes.
• Team work – I submit, the solution to complex problems are no longer possible in isolation. Instead more solutions are being derived through increased coordination across multi-disciplinary teams of knowledge workers who share common interests – thou make sure you bring added value/competency to the team.
• For a manager, two most critical skills – (i) Have competency is (in area) what you manage; and (ii) Empathy as how you manage your organization’s biggest asset – human capital.
What do you wish you had known or done differently throughout your career?
• Should have taken more risk, I am conservative in pursuing ideas. That said, we need to sometimes consider in the context of the rest of our lives. As a techie, working culture that embraces failure – silicon valley kind of an environment.
• I have tended to over compensate when it comes to “managing down” at the expense of “managing-up”, as it continues to be my challenge.
What is next for you in your career?
Seeking more responsible and potential overseas assignments.
What do you do for continuing education and improvement?
• Seeking knowledge is a condition that is continuous and critical. Have humility to recognize it as humility compels careful and necessary reflection. Learning is the minimum requirement for success in any field.
• One of the best offerings on your base pay is the training opportunity your organization offers – ask if your employer can offer paying for graduate school, etc.
• Personally, I get bored working in monotonic areas. Reflection I worked in diverse industry sectors, government research and policy, semiconductor, telecommunication and biomedical industries.
What advice would you offer to others?
• Build professional relationships, whether it means playing golf helps (or not) is a separate debate. The network of your former colleagues is as important than those within your organization.
• Work at a start-up or a small company in your career (if you can) – early the better.
• Embrace failure and learn quickly.
Areas where you can help other Ismailis:
• Career advice
• Working in the government sector