According to Jake Voytko, data science and engineering teams run more efficiently and spread knowledge more quickly when there is a single person setting the technical direction of a team. The so-called “tech lead“.

Sometimes tech lead is an official title, referring to the position between an engineering manager and the engineering team. Oftentimes it is just a unofficial role one grows in to.

Now, according to Jake, you can learn to become a tech lead. And you can be good at it too. Somebody has to do it, so it might as well be you! It could allow you to leverage your time to move the organization forward, and enables you to influence data science or engineering throughout the entire team!

In this original blog, which I thoroughly enjoyed reading, Jake explains in more detail what it takes to be(come) a good tech lead. Here just the headers copied, but if you’re interested, take a look at the full article:

• Less time writing code
• Helping others often (esp. juniors)
• Helping others first
• Doing unsexy, unthankful work to enable the team
• Being an ally (of underrepresented groups)
• Spreading knowledge, or making sure it spreads

And this is what Jake feels his work week looks like as a tech lead:

Cover image via TeamGantt.com