Q&A : Douglas Yung - Compiler Engineer

Staff profile: Douglas Yung - Compiler Engineer

Location: Campbell, CA
Education: B.S. Electrical and Computer Engineering,
B.S. Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University

How and when did you join SN Systems?

I joined in 2011, after working for a well-known operating system and games console manufacturer.

What do you do at SN Systems?

I am a compiler engineer on the toolchain team, working on the compilers for the PlayStation®3, PlayStation®Vita, and more recently the PlayStation®4. My duties include implementing new features for the compiler, fixing bugs, and working to make our compiler the best it can be.

What has been the biggest challenge during your time at SN Systems?

One of the biggest challenges I have had was figuring out how to work efficiently with colleagues in different time zones. If you are not careful, you can lose a lot of time just trying to communicate! This has taught me to work very carefully while making sure to think issues through in advance, so that there is sufficient time to address them.

What do you like most about working at SN Systems?

I really enjoy the people I work with and the small-company feel of SN Systems. Also, getting to work on the latest and greatest PlayStation® platforms is always exciting!

What advice would you give anyone wanting to get into programming?

Pick a small project that interests you and work on it. Get it basically working, and then take a step back and ask yourself, how can I make my program smaller and faster? Some background in data structures and algorithms can also help you to achieve these goals without reinventing the wheel needlessly! But above all, have fun - that is how programming should be!

What do you particularly like about living in your location?

The weather in California is great all year, and with all of the San Francisco Bay Area at your doorstep, there is never a shortage of things to do, places to visit, or great food to eat!