Why Insource? Data Solutions Engineer, Albert Zhang’s Story

At Insource, our people are at the heart of everything we do – and that includes the newest members of our team. In this edition of our recruitment series, meet Albert Zhang, a Data Solutions Engineer who joined Insource straight out of college and hasn’t looked back since.

A lucky connection

Albert’s path to Insource started in an unexpected place: a college friendship. “I was friends with the daughter of our CEO in college – I didn’t know this for the longest time, because she doesn’t like to talk about it,” he says. When Albert started job hunting in a tough market, she offered to pass his resume along. A recruiter reached out soon after, and the process took off from there. “It was a very lucky connection that brought me here.”

An interview process built on people, not pressure

Albert joined the Data Solutions team, Insource’s newest practice, working across everything from AI research to financial tools to custom-built software. Given the range of work, he expected a rigorous, skills-focused interview. What he got instead was something more personal.

“It’s not your typical interview where the main goal is to test your abilities,” he explains. Albert met with several people across the business, including Insource’s CEO and two members of his future team – five interviews in total. “You get to know who you’ll be working with, and they get to know you, too.”

One conversation stood out: his interview with Brian, a senior data solutions engineer. Rather than grilling him on technical skills, the two ended up swapping stories about their shared background in biology and research. “It felt more like a conversation between two people talking about their backgrounds than an interview.”

What struck Albert most was how much time senior leadership invested in getting to know candidates. “The fact that I got to talk to the CEO and the VPs – it’s not very common. Usually, the interview process isn’t that humanizing, but this really was.”

Family Feud on day one

Albert’s goal starting out was simple: turn his internship into a full-time role and get as much hands-on, professional experience as possible. He didn’t have to wait long for either.

He joined Insource just eight days after graduating – and his first day happened to land the day before the company’s all-staff meeting. “My first day on the job was playing Family Feud with a team I’d just met, and getting free drinks at the bar,” he laughs. Colleagues joked that it wasn’t the usual intern experience: “Usually you’re doing grueling tasks, but you’re just here partying with us.” Meeting the team in person before he’d done a single day of remote work made the transition into the role far smoother.

The challenge of staying visible, remotely

Insource’s fully remote setup is one of Albert’s favorite parts of the job – but it’s also where he’s found his biggest challenge. “I find it difficult to communicate as often as I should. If I’m head-down on a project, I might not update people as clearly or as often as I should, because I feel like I’m bothering them with another Teams message.” It’s a habit he’s getting better at, and he notes the team still finds ways to stay closely connected.

Consistent support, real investment

A few months after joining as an intern, Albert was promoted to full-time – his boss made it clear he wanted Albert on the team long-term. That same level of investment has continued since. “My boss explicitly tells me he wants to support my learning and invest in my career, which makes me feel very supported,” Albert says. Regular one-on-ones give him space to ask questions and get guidance whenever he needs it.

Formal training is less structured – there’s no traditional software engineering curriculum – but the team is currently working toward a cloud certification as a group goal, which comes with its own training component. “It’s definitely valuable, even if the original goal was more about the organization getting certified than individual development.”

Work he’s proud of

Two projects stand out for Albert so far. The first: co-authoring a research paper and benchmark that the Data Solutions team published. “Being able to say I contributed to something published, even though I wasn’t the lead on it, still feels pretty great.”

The second is one he owned from start to finish: a web app built for an investment advisory firm that uses AI to evaluate Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) and score how well they fit a given product. The tool pulls data from across the RIA universe, then generates summaries and fit ratings the client can use to prioritize outreach. “That one I got to build end-to-end myself, so I’m proud of that.”

Why he chose – and stays at – Insource

When Albert’s internship converted to a full-time offer, he had another offer on the table too, so the choice was a real one. He picked Insource for two reasons: the team he’d already gotten to know, and the sheer variety of the work. “Because it’s consulting, every project I work on is unique and different – and something a client is paying for today – the work is cutting-edge and really interesting.”

Being fully remote comes with an added bonus, too: Albert’s able to live with family and save money while building his career. “The team is great, the work is exciting – what more could you ask for, really?”

For Albert, the right fit right now comes down to career growth. “A fit for me is one that gives me a really good ramp for my career, and I feel like Insource is setting me up for that.”

Life outside work

When he’s not building web apps, Albert is usually playing Genshin Impact, on the pickleball court, rock climbing, or at the gym.

Could Insource be the right fit for you?

If you’re early in your career and looking for a team that invests in your growth, hands you real ownership, and puts you on projects that matter to clients today, Insource could be the place for you.

Interested in joining a team that combines professional growth with purpose? Explore career opportunities with Insource.