Main at Roblox is a collection that explores the profession journeys of Roblox’s leaders and discusses their roles, philosophies, and administration types. On this profile, we get to know Nicole Grinstead, Director of Product and Utility Safety inside our Infrastructure Crew.
What do you do at Roblox?
I joined Roblox a few yr in the past to steer our Product and Utility Safety workforce inside Data Safety (InfoSec). Meaning I assist something from our Infrastructure Layer to our Utility and guarantee they’re sufficiently hardened. My group is accountable for proactive safety in addition to discovering and remediating vulnerabilities and dangers.
Describe your profession journey. How did you land the place you’re at this time?
Whilst a small youngster, I’d at all times cherished computer systems and expertise. I used to be drawn to laptop lessons and took my first programming course in highschool. As quickly as I began faculty, I set my main as Laptop Science and finally graduated with that diploma. After commencement, I began my profession in full-stack software program engineering targeted on constructing merchandise. I used to be working at a Silicon Valley tech firm once they had a serious information breach, and located myself fascinated by all of the work that went into the incident response. That’s how I fell into the safety house, and I’ve been right here ever since! Defending customers and corporations from malicious unhealthy actors has change into a real ardour of mine.
My path to Roblox started with an informational dialog with Roblox’s VP of Safety Engineering. He was sharing a few of the challenges with scaling the workforce to fulfill Roblox’s quickly rising platform and enterprise, and a few of the sorts of motivated risk actors and cyber assaults which can be widespread within the business. As quickly as I bought dwelling, I began researching extra in regards to the firm. The extra I discovered in regards to the platform, imaginative and prescient, and management, the extra I knew I wished to be a part of the workforce.
What motivates you?
I’m aggressive – largely with myself – and have at all times been very motivated to tackle huge challenges and study new issues. As soon as I’ve solved an issue, I’m keen to maneuver onto the subsequent one and problem myself in a brand new or completely different approach. I’m not overly fixated on climbing ladders, however it’s essential to me to not stagnate. This is without doubt one of the issues I like about safety. There are such a lot of completely different subdomains, so I’ve been in a position to give attention to various kinds of safety issues and challenges by the years.
Nicole’s aggressive spirit and love of huge challenges involves life each inside and out of doors of labor
What are some management qualities which have labored for you?
I purpose to paved the way I wish to be led. I respect being empowered and given house to tackle troublesome challenges, and I’ve discovered that Roblox’s govt management workforce fosters this tradition and helps me in emulating it for my very own workforce. Belief is vital to execution and fixing troublesome issues, so I lead with belief and transparency to drive our workforce ahead.
In my day-to-day work as a frontrunner, I deliver this to life by each huge and small actions that empower my workforce and foster autonomy. As a substitute of giving my opinion or recommendation instantly, I wish to ask questions that assist immediate people to succeed in an answer on their very own. I’m at all times making an attempt to create space for my workforce to really feel like they’ll completely personal their work.
How do you contribute to Roblox’s tradition?
As a lady chief in tech, I’m keen about exploring issues outdoors of my safety purview. If I discover a system, cultural facet, or lodging that may enhance the office for ladies and underrepresented teams inside our group or within the business at giant, I’m eager on championing it. Right here at Roblox, now we have a fantastic group of ladies engineering leaders that meets month-to-month. I’m additionally concerned with our Girls@ Affinity Group. During the last ten months since I began my position at Roblox, these communities have led me to construct sturdy bonds with colleagues throughout the group that I may not in any other case work with.
Nicole on Roblox’s campus in San Mateo, CA
What’s one thing your workforce has achieved that you simply’re happy with?
The InfoSec workforce is quickly rising, and far of the workforce is new to Roblox. I’m so happy with the progress we’ve been in a position to make as a brand new workforce in a really quick time frame. We’ve additionally constructed out our Utility Safety (AppSec) workforce, and that group has already made a ton of influence. In true Roblox trend, the workforce began by constructing a powerful system and course of for a way we interact cross-functionally to establish and resolve software degree vulnerabilities and dangers. We’re not at all completed with the journey, however the progress we’ve made to this point actually stands out to me.
As a frontrunner of a brand new workforce, it’s essential to me to not get in the best way of the power that new people deliver to the group. Embracing new concepts and ideas has helped our workforce succeed and allowed new workforce members to ramp up and contribute rapidly.
If you happen to had to decide on a price that almost all resonates with you as a frontrunner, which one wouldn’t it be?
Roblox’s “Take the Lengthy View” worth is vital to us as a brand new workforce. Although now we have quick must sort out, and we’re supportive of recent people leaping proper in, we’re at all times extremely strategic about how we’re going to attain our targets. When formulating plans and paths ahead, we ask ourselves the place we wish to be in ten years, and work our approach again from there as a substitute of specializing in tactical “what’s subsequent” approaches.
What’s one thing you want in regards to the platform?
Roblox is particular as a result of it’s so open and various – the sorts of experiences that you may have or construct on Roblox are infinite, and there’s something for everybody. Any creator can deliver their creativeness and concepts to life on the platform, and customers of all walks of life can take pleasure in them. We’re simply scratching the floor of what’s actually attainable. It’s a tremendous time to work on the firm, and I’ve been so impressed by what I’ve seen to this point.
In closing, is there a chunk of management recommendation you possibly can share?
Ask for suggestions, and be true to you! There’s nobody model of management that works for everybody, so do what feels genuine, emulate the belongings you respect most out of your leaders, and ask for suggestions alongside the journey. Some of the efficient methods I’ve discovered to make sure I’m hitting the mark is to easily ask – then to pay attention, study, and evolve primarily based on what I hear. Identical to the Roblox platform, there’s something distinctive for everybody in management. Authenticity and suppleness have been key for me.
Impressed by Nicole’s story? She and her workforce are hiring. Go to our careers website to discover open roles.
