Hi, I’m Jinkook Kang working as a Tech Lead Manager in the Cloud backend team. Our team is responsible for developing Moloco’s core product, Moloco Cloud DSP, as well as building & maintaining its backend infrastructure. For this reason, we closely collaborate with not only Software Engineers, but also other experts including Product Managers, Product Specialists, Data Scientists, Partner Engineers, Site Reliability Engineer, and more!

As a tech lead, my role is to provide technical direction. This includes planning the technical work of the team, making architectural decisions and solving problems. At the same time as a manager, I determine and delegate tasks to engineers to help the team work efficiently and productively, and also provide career advice as a mentor.

Career background 

Finding solutions to complex problems and overcoming challenges have always motivated me throughout my career. I first started my career as a server programmer in a gaming company. Mainly responsible for developing a server engine for online games, I was able to encounter the most cutting edge technology as gaming was one of the most exciting & innovative industries in tech. This experience became a stepping stone that led me into the world of software development. For years as a software engineer, I’ve encountered a lot of challenges and learned from them, and there was a moment where I wanted to challenge myself even more. So as a next step, I co-founded a gaming startup with my colleagues where I developed online game engines and client/server programs.

With a wealth of experience in the gaming industry I’ve gained over the years, I wanted to take the next big move in my career journey - to enter into the adtech space. I grew a desire to develop more general solutions outside the gaming industry, but still wanted to pursue my career in an environment where I can solve complex problems and encounter grand challenges. Moloco, where I can build state-of-the-art ML technology in a fast-changing environment, was a perfect place to start my next chapter. 

At Moloco

I believe the voluntary contribution that our engineers make is the key factor that supports Moloco's explosive growth in this booming adtech industry. Here at Moloco, everyone contributes proactively because they 'want to', not because they are 'told’ what to do. So it's common to see people coming together to find solutions to problems rather than one person struggling to solve them alone. This passion, autonomy, and cooperative culture is what I love the most about Moloco and believe are driving forces for growth. For this reason, I witness and experience the positive impact engineers create everyday, as well as the synergy created when these smart, proactive individuals who pursue super-growth work together.

Outside of work

As I continuously seek problem solving activities - at and outside work - I’m a fan of escape rooms. It’s a game where a group of people are locked in a room and need to solve puzzles one by one in order to escape. As it forces you to think out of the box and engage in creative problem-solving, it gives my brain a quick reboot and keeps me energized. I also enjoy playing tennis with family, friends, and the Molocans. Though I'm not an expert, full-body workouts and sweating makes me feel good!