Main at Roblox is a sequence that explores the profession journeys of Roblox’s leaders and discusses their roles, philosophies, and administration kinds. On this profile, we get to know Nicole Grinstead, Director of Product and Software Safety inside our Infrastructure Crew.

What do you do at Roblox? 

I joined Roblox a few 12 months in the past to steer our Product and Software Safety staff inside Data Safety (InfoSec). Which means I assist something from our Infrastructure Layer to our Software and guarantee they’re sufficiently hardened. My group is answerable for proactive safety in addition to discovering and remediating vulnerabilities and dangers. 

Describe your profession journey. How did you land the place you might be at this time?

At the same time as a small little one, I’d all the time beloved computer systems and know-how. I used to be drawn to laptop courses and took my first programming course in highschool. As quickly as I began faculty, I set my main as Pc Science and finally graduated with that diploma. After commencement, I began my profession in full-stack software program engineering centered on constructing merchandise. I used to be working at a Silicon Valley tech firm after they had a serious knowledge breach, and located myself fascinated by all of the work that went into the incident response. That’s how I fell into the safety area, and I’ve been right here ever since! Defending customers and firms from malicious dangerous actors has grow to be 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 number of the challenges with scaling the staff to fulfill Roblox’s quickly rising platform and enterprise, and a number of the kinds of motivated menace actors and cyber assaults which can be frequent within the trade. As quickly as I obtained residence, I began researching extra concerning the firm. The extra I discovered concerning the platform, imaginative and prescient, and management, the extra I knew I needed to be a part of the staff.

What motivates you?

I’m aggressive – largely with myself – and have all the time 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 following one and problem myself in a brand new or completely different manner. I’m not overly fixated on climbing ladders, however it’s necessary to me to not stagnate. This is among the issues I really like about safety. There are such a lot of completely different subdomains, so I’ve been in a position to concentrate on several types of safety issues and challenges via the years.

Nicole’s aggressive spirit and love of massive challenges involves life each inside and out of doors of labor

What are some management qualities which have labored for you? 

I goal to cleared the path I wish to be led. I recognize being empowered and given area to tackle troublesome challenges, and I’ve discovered that Roblox’s govt management staff fosters this tradition and helps me in emulating it for my very own staff. Belief is essential to execution and fixing troublesome issues, so I lead with belief and transparency to drive our staff ahead. 

In my day-to-day work as a pacesetter, I convey this to life via each huge and small actions that empower my staff and foster autonomy. As a substitute of giving my opinion or recommendation instantly, I wish to ask questions that assist immediate people to achieve an answer on their very own. I’m all the time attempting to create space for my staff 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 trade at massive, I’m eager on championing it. Right here at Roblox, now we have an amazing neighborhood of ladies engineering leaders that meets month-to-month. I’m additionally concerned with our Girls@ Affinity Group. Over the past ten months since I began my function 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 staff has achieved that you simply’re pleased with?

The InfoSec staff is quickly rising, and far of the staff is new to Roblox. I’m so pleased with the progress we’ve been in a position to make as a brand new staff in a really brief time period. We’ve additionally constructed out our Software Safety (AppSec) staff, and that group has already made a ton of impression. In true Roblox trend, the staff began by constructing a robust system and course of for a way we interact cross-functionally to establish and resolve utility stage vulnerabilities and dangers. We’re on no account completed with the journey, however the progress we’ve made to this point actually stands out to me.

As a pacesetter of a brand new staff, it’s necessary to me to not get in the way in which of the vitality that new people convey to the group. Embracing new concepts and ideas has helped our staff succeed and allowed new staff members to ramp up and contribute rapidly. 

In the event you had to decide on a price that the majority resonates with you as a pacesetter, which one would it not be?

Roblox’s “Take the Lengthy View” worth is essential to us as a brand new staff. Regardless that now we have rapid must sort out, and we’re supportive of recent people leaping proper in, we’re all the time extremely strategic about how we’re going to attain our objectives. When formulating plans and paths ahead, we ask ourselves the place we need to be in ten years, and work our manner again from there as an alternative of specializing in tactical “what’s subsequent” approaches.

What’s one thing you want concerning the platform?

Roblox is particular as a result of it’s so open and different – the kinds of experiences you could have or construct on Roblox are infinite, and there’s something for everybody. Any creator can convey their creativeness and concepts to life on the platform, and customers of all walks of life can get pleasure from them. We’re simply scratching the floor of what’s actually attainable. It’s an incredible 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 bit of management recommendation you’ll be able to share?

Ask for suggestions, and be true to you! There’s nobody fashion of management that works for everybody, so do what feels genuine, emulate the belongings you recognize most out of your leaders, and ask for suggestions alongside the journey. One of the vital efficient methods I’ve discovered to make sure I’m hitting the mark is to easily ask – then to pay attention, study, and evolve based mostly on what I hear. Similar to the Roblox platform, there’s something distinctive for everybody in management. Authenticity and adaptability have been key for me.

Impressed by Nicole’s story? She and her staff are hiring. Go to our careers web site to discover open roles.