Ginna Khang is an Applications Engineer focused on research and development (R&D). She started at SPK and Associates in 2022 as an intern while she attended UC Santa Cruz. After graduating in 2024, she was brought on full-time. Here is more about Ginna in her own words.
My Role at SPK
There are two main aspects of my role: client-facing development and internal research and development. When a client has a problem that can’t be solved with their existing tools or methods, they often reach out to one of our client program managers. That CPM then comes to me and asks if I can do some research to see if there’s anything we can build around their issue. In this aspect, I am like a custom application builder to solve issues.
On the R&D side, if SPK wants to come up with a product for internal purposes or to offer to clients, I am asked to research and come up with a prototype. From there, we see if it’s worth building on or if there’s a workaround for the solution. I find myself coming back to tools surrounding AWS like EC2 instances, Lambda, and API gateways often.
My day-to-day looks relatively similar, but the research I conduct is always changing. It is a lot of researching, coding, and testing. Once I have tested enough, I bring the prototype to my manager or client. Recently, I have been working on the SPK Launch Pad. We’re in the midst of creating an AI tool that clients can ask questions about common tools they use, such as PTC or Atlassian products. The goal is to have all the answers in one place. With that, there’s a lot of research and a lot of testing, such as switching between AWS Bedrock and Atlassian’s Rovo for AI capabilities. It also requires a lot of documentation.
What Motivates Me
I’m the type of person who gets bored easily, so if I do the same thing repeatedly, I find myself getting distracted. What I currently do with research and development fits me, because you’re not doing the same thing over and over again. I am learning constantly, and the customer projects help too, because not every project is the same. Clients ask you for different solutions, and I enjoy doing something new every time.
Career Advice
My advice for anyone in this role is to fall in love with learning. In this industry, nothing ever stays the same. There’s always something new coming out, so you have to stay curious. If you’re not curious, then you’re not adapting to what the industry is developing.
Some great advice I have received from our CEO, Chris, is to prioritize both your physical and mental health. With any type of work, you can get caught up in trying to figure something out. Sometimes I find myself thinking, okay, just 5 more minutes. This can take a toll on you. What I’ve realized is that if you’re feeling burnt out, just take a break. If you don’t take the break, you’re probably not going to solve whatever you’re trying to accomplish because what you need is to come back to it with a different perspective.
Extracurriculars
After work, I like cooking. I find myself spending 2-3 hours just prepping for my dinner! I think after a long day of work, making yourself something that you enjoy eating is deserved. Some people may not think that, but you spent the day working, probably just snacking on stuff. Dinner is where you’re free to make yourself something enjoyable. Additionally, I like to take my boyfriend’s dog out to walk. When I see my pet happy, I just get happy, too! It helps me de-stress.
Looking To The Future
Ginna has been a valuable asset to the SPK team ever since she started as an intern. We are so fortunate to have a bright and capable mind like hers to help us research new endeavors. In the near future, we are looking forward to new product launches due to Ginna’s consistent research and testing efforts.
