Career Opportunities for Data Scientists in India vs US: Sherog's Journey
Sherog went to US for Masters in 2014, worked as a data scientist for 10 years, faced visa expiration and layoff at Walgreens, and moved to India. Learn about data science career opportunities in India and why he recommends working for American companies based in India.
Career Opportunities for Data Scientists in India vs US: Sherog's Journey
Sherog went to the US for his Masters in 2014, spent close to 10 years working as a data scientist, faced visa expiration and layoff, and moved back to India. Discover his insights on data science career opportunities in India and why he recommends working for American companies based in India.
Key Highlights from Sherog's Journey
- Went to US for Masters in Operations Research at Northeastern University in 2014
- Pivoted from Operations Research to Data Science after talking with family and industry professionals
- Spent summer at Stanford University as graduate visitor, worked at startup Smiley Go
- Worked at Aon for 5 years in catastrophe modeling using statistical techniques
- Worked at Walgreens as Senior Data Scientist building ML models for healthcare
- Faced layoff during workforce reduction, visa expired with only weeks remaining
- Now works as Staff Data Scientist at Micron Technology in Hyderabad
- Advice: Work for American companies in India for better work-life balance
From Struggle to Success: "In my sixth or seventh grade, I took an introductory computer science course and did very well. Then my dad took me to a 12th standard computer science class when I was in seventh standard - it went over my head. So I thought computers wasn't for me. But after struggling in mechanical engineering, I realized it's not about IQ - it's about being in a stream you're passionate about."
📚 Background: From Mumbai to Mechanical Engineering
Sherog grew up in Mumbai, India. He was a bright student throughout his early education, scoring 92% in the ICSE board exams in 2006 during his 10th grade. After that, he did his 12th grade from the HSC board (Maharashtra state board).
Health Challenges
Sherog had to take a drop year during his 12th grade due to health issues. He went for readmission and completed his 12th board exams before starting his undergraduate degree.
He chose Mechanical Engineering at Manipal (now NIT) for his undergraduate degree. The reasons were:
- Manipal was highly ranked for mechanical engineering in India
- His friends were taking mechanical engineering
- His uncle was also a mechanical engineer
The Mismatch
However, Sherog soon realized mechanical engineering wasn't the right fit for him:
He struggled academically, had backlogs in his mechanical engineering coursework, and his GPA was around 6 out of 10. He also dealt with depression and anxiety during this period.
The Early Computer Science Experience
In sixth or seventh grade, Sherog took an introductory computer science course and did very well with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc. But then his father took him to a 12th standard computer science class when he was only in seventh standard.
"It really went over my head. So I thought maybe computers is not good for me. That's why I didn't go for computer science but went for mechanical engineering instead."
🎯 The Turning Point: GRE and Finding His Path
In his third year of engineering, Sherog decided to take the GRE exam. He wanted to feel better about himself after consistently getting poor grades in his undergraduate program.
GRE Success
Sherog prepared on his own for about a month and a half using materials like Manhattan GRE books. His score: 323 out of 340
- 90th percentile in Quantitative
- 80th percentile in Verbal
- 93rd percentile in Analytical Writing
The Byju's Internship
In his final semester, Sherog got an internship offer from Byju's as an Operations Research and Marketing Intern. There, he used the Hungarian algorithm (an operations research algorithm) to optimally assign students to centers in different cities.
This experience sparked his interest in Operations Research. He had also done well in an Operations Research course in his sixth semester at Manipal - better than his other courses.
The Last-Minute Application
15 Days to Apply
On March 29th, Sherog decided to apply for an MS. The deadline was April 15th - just 15 days away.
His father said: "No, it's too late. Apply next year."
Sherog insisted: "No, I have to apply this year."
He was in Bangalore at the time and wrote his Statement of Purpose within half a day to one day because he was finally clear about what he wanted to do.
He applied to about seven universities in the US in those 15 days:
- Rejected: University of Buffalo (within one week - "your undergrad is not good")
- Rejected: University of North Carolina Chapel Hill (highly ranked, probably applied too late)
- Admitted: Northeastern University in Boston - Masters in Operations Research
- Admitted: Wayne State University in Detroit - Masters in Industrial Engineering
He chose Northeastern University because it was one of his preferred universities and had a really good program for industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, and computer science.
🎓 US Education: Northeastern and Stanford
Sherog's experience in the US was transformative. He describes it as "awesome" and "totally different" from his experience in India.
First Days in Boston
In August 2015, Sherog arrived in Boston. For the first 15 days, about 15-25 Indian students stayed together in a one or two-floor house through the Boston Indian Students Association, managing together while finding apartments.
After 10 days, he moved out and found his own apartment in Boston.
Pivoting to Data Science
His first courses at Northeastern were Engineering Probability and Statistics, and Deterministic Operations Research. After talking with family members and people in the industry, he decided to pivot to data science.
He looked for courses he could take at Northeastern or other universities to transfer credits back to his degree.
The Stanford Experience
Sherog discovered that Stanford University had a summer session where they invited undergraduate and graduate students from all over the world. Students could spend three months at Stanford and take courses that could potentially transfer back to their graduate degree.
Admitted to Stanford
"When I was admitted to Stanford, it felt great. From someone who had a challenging time in undergrad to getting admitted to Stanford for any program was a great accomplishment. That was probably because I got a good GPA at Northeastern - around 3.6 out of 4 throughout my time there - because I was pursuing something I was passionate about and had a natural aptitude in."
At Stanford, Sherog:
- Made friends from Europe - Netherlands, Denmark, America, and all over the world
- Got his first work experience at a startup called Smiley Go
Smiley Go Startup Experience
Role: Algorithm Lead Intern
Team: Led a team of 5 interns
Project: Built a machine learning algorithm to rank and evaluate nonprofits in the US
Metrics: Evaluated nonprofits based on about 30 different metrics including financial, governance, and social impact ratios
Technology: Used boosted decision tree classifier to create a probabilistic-based ranking system
Outcome: The "smart search" system was integrated into their website for companies to find the best nonprofits to donate to
Sherog did his Co-op at Smiley Go in the Fall 2015 semester and came up with a viable product.
💼 Career in US: From Aon to Walgreens
Aon - Catastrophe Modeling (5 Years)
Sherog worked at Aon for about 5 years as a data scientist (though that wasn't his official job title). His work involved catastrophe modeling and analytics.
What is Catastrophe Modeling?
Catastrophe modeling involves building complex models to approximate weather disasters. Sherog worked on hurricane and tornado data using statistical measures like the EM algorithm and copulas (T copula, normal copula) to forecast where these disasters would strike and predict the dollar value of damage.
The Process:
- Look at historical data (50-60 years)
- Simulate thousands of years of data around that historical data
- Use smoothing, noise, and AI to ensure patterns follow historical data
- Cover all possible regions where events could occur
- Help companies predict damage costs
Other Roles
After Aon, Sherog worked at a couple of other companies for about six months to a year as a data scientist before joining Walgreens.
Walgreens Boots Alliance - Senior Data Scientist
At Walgreens, Sherog built machine learning models applied to healthcare:
Key Projects at Walgreens
| Project | Technology | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Credit Card Approval Prediction | XGBoost, Random Forest classifiers | 35% increase in customers approved for Walgreens credit card |
| Customer Behavior Progression Model | Operations Research, Constrained Optimization, ML | Analyzed behavior changes in customer purchasing patterns |
This rounded up his time in the US from 2016 to 2024 - about 8 years of professional experience.
✈️ The Move Back: Visa Expiration and Layoff
Sherog's return to India wasn't planned - it was forced by circumstances.
The Situation
Walgreens had filed for Sherog's Green Card and the PERM application was being processed. However, PERM normally takes a long time - about one year or more for the I-140 to come through.
His visa was running out, and the initial plan was:
- Go back to India once visa expired in January
- Come back in about October once they could file for a new visa
- Return once the I-140 was approved
But then came the unexpected:
With his visa expiring and only a couple of weeks left after his termination date, Sherog had no option but to return to India. He couldn't get another job in that short timeframe.
Timeline of Events
- Visa Status: Six years of H1B visa was expiring
- Layoff: Workforce reduction at Walgreens
- Green Card: Application and PERM revoked
- Time Remaining: Only couple of weeks after termination
- Move: January 2024 - moved to India
🇮🇳 Career in India: Data Science Opportunities
After moving to India in January 2024, Sherog took a semester off to focus on his course at Georgia Tech and relax during the transition. He spent time in Delhi with family, exploring and getting used to life in India again.
In May 2024, he started his current job as a Staff Data Scientist at Micron Technology in Hyderabad, working in the Technology and Products Development Group.
Job Market Reality
India vs US Job Market for Data Scientists
"I would say it's easier in the US to find a job than in India because there are a lot of applicants for the same opening in India. Entry-level roles are particularly competitive - it's easier to find entry-level roles in the US than in India because there are a lot of applicants in India for the same roles."
Work-Life Balance
When asked about work-life balance, Sherog said it was too early to comment definitively, but he likes the work-life balance at his current company.
Recommendation: American Companies in India
Sherog strongly recommends working for American companies based in India because:
- Better work-life balance compared to Indian companies
- Semiconductor manufacturing is a great sector with many opportunities
- Data science and tech in India are growing rapidly
💡 Advice for NRIs Considering the Move
Positives of Moving to India
- Family: You'll be close to family
- Food: You have the best food in the world
- Career: Data science and tech in India are growing with many opportunities
- Flexibility: You can spend time in India and go back to US if you want - it's not that difficult
- Work-Life Balance: Work for American companies based in India for better balance
- Growing Sectors: Semiconductor manufacturing has many opportunities
Key Takeaway
"It's a good idea to spend some time in India, take a break, and be with family. There are some good companies - work for an American company based in India because they give better work-life balance."
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Sherog move back to India from the US?
Sherog's visa was expiring and his company (Walgreens) had filed for his Green Card with the PERM application under process. However, there was a workforce reduction at Walgreens that affected most employees in his team. He was laid off and the company revoked his Green Card application and PERM. With only a couple of weeks left on his visa after his termination date, he had no option but to return to India as he couldn't get another job in that timeframe.
What was Sherog's educational and career background?
Sherog grew up in Mumbai, did ICSE board exams (92% in 10th grade), then HSC board for 12th. He did his undergraduate in Mechanical Engineering from Manipal but struggled academically (around 6 GPA out of 10). He scored 323/340 on GRE (90th percentile quantitative, 80th percentile verbal, 93rd percentile analytical writing). He did his Masters in Operations Research at Northeastern University in Boston, then pivoted to data science. He worked at Aon for 5 years in catastrophe modeling, then at Walgreens as Senior Data Scientist.
How are data science job opportunities in India compared to the US?
According to Sherog, it's easier to find a job in the US than in India because there are many more applicants for the same opening in India. Entry-level roles are particularly competitive in India. However, data science and tech in India are growing with many opportunities. Sherog recommends working for American companies based in India as they offer better work-life balance. He currently works as Staff Data Scientist at Micron Technology in Hyderabad.
What unique experience did Sherog have at Stanford University?
Sherog applied for Stanford's summer session as a graduate summer visitor and was accepted. He spent three months at Stanford taking courses that could transfer back to his Northeastern degree. There, he worked at a startup called Smiley Go as an Algorithm Lead Intern, leading a team of five interns to build a machine learning algorithm to rank and evaluate nonprofits in the US based on financial, governance, and social impact ratios using boosted decision tree classifiers.
What advice does Sherog give for NRIs considering moving to India?
Sherog advises: 1) It's not a bad idea if you can adjust to infrastructure differences, 2) You'll be close to family and have the best food in the world, 3) Data science and tech in India are growing with many opportunities, 4) You can spend time in India and go back to US if you want - it's not that difficult, 5) Work for American companies based in India for better work-life balance, 6) Semiconductor manufacturing is a great sector with many opportunities.
Navigating Career Transitions to India?
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