Innovative Thinking Training Pilots to Training Algorithms: A Tech Hero’s Journey How do you get from the cockpit of a helicopter flight simulator to the top ranks of the global data science community? For Shir Meir Lador, the journey was fueled by twin passions for math and leadership. As a flight instructor in the Israeli Air Force, Shir loved teaching, coaching, and helping people grow into Written by Intuit Blog team Published Mar 5, 2021 - [Updated Nov 9, 2022] 2 min read How do you get from the cockpit of a helicopter flight simulator to the top ranks of the global data science community? For Shir Meir Lador, the journey was fueled by twin passions for math and leadership. As a flight instructor in the Israeli Air Force, Shir loved teaching, coaching, and helping people grow into their full potential. When her data science career brought her to Intuit, she saw an opportunity to apply the same skills as a team leader while gaining a broader perspective on the business. “I wanted to develop other parts of my brain, and now I get to be a mentor here, as well,” she explained in a recent Tech Heroes Podcast, hosted by Intuit. Her love of data science encompasses the work itself—in which a single week can range from analyzing business metrics and exploring algorithms to coding and presentation-building as a Data Science Group Manager—and the diverse skills and perspectives of the people she works with. As an Ambassador for Women in Data Science (WiDS) Israel and co-founder of PyData Tel Aviv meetups, Shir embraces the technical, social and creative aspects of her career development. For a former singer and songwriter in a rock band at university (yet another stage of her hero’s journey), it’s only fitting. You can learn more about Shir’s work at Intuit and her advice for prospective data scientists and team leaders in the Tech Heroes Podcast here. And, be sure to join Intuit at the Women in Data Science (WiDS) 2021 virtual conference, where Shir will moderate an Ethics and Responsible Data Science panel during the EMEA portion of the 24-hour event, which is taking place from Sunday, March 7 through Monday, March 8 (Asia Pacific, EMEA, Americas). We look forward to meeting you at our WiDS Expo Booth, where we’ll take a deep dive into how Intuit is unleashing the power of data to transform the world of consumer, self-employed, and small business finances. Previous Post Meet an Intuit Engineer – Simon Behar Yutkewich Next Post Driving Innovation & Transformation: Women in Data Science Written by Intuit Blog team Our team of contributors loves to uncover inspiring stories and share helpful tips to help power your prosperity. Browse Related Articles People & Culture Getting the most from a mentoring relationship Intuit Experts How Intuit helps tax and bookkeeping pros do their best work Intuit Experts From Hollywood Dreams to a Purpose-Driven Tax and Bookkeeping Career Intuit Experts The Support to Grow your Tax and Bookkeeping Career, Your Way Intuit Experts Flexible Work that Works: Revolutionizing Tax and Bookkeeping Careers with Intuit Intuit Experts How to Become a CPA (A Comprehensive Guide) Intuit Experts 5 Weekend Accounting and Tax Jobs to Boost Your Income People & Culture Closing the gap for women in tech: why mentorship matters Social Responsibility Building Inclusion: supporting career transitions of veterans through mentorship Social Responsibility Building a strong network to grow your career