Shayla Carter
Software Engineer
Virginia, USA
Every project brings an opportunity to learn something new, and that's one of the things I value most about working here.
I'm a software engineer based in Virginia, and I joined RELX two years ago through a programme for new graduates, just a few weeks after finishing college. I studied computer science with a focus on optimisation and operating systems, and while I expected there would be a learning curve moving from academic projects to real-world products, I quickly found myself contributing to tools used across Elsevier.
The product I work on right now helps us make more accurate AI tools. An AI tool is only as good as its responses, and our product allows subject matter experts to test and give feedback on our AI tools, to ensure they give the best responses possible. Knowing that my work contributes to making AI outputs more accurate and trustworthy is incredibly rewarding. Whether I'm improving security, developing new features, fixing bugs or making the system faster and more stable, every improvement supports that larger goal.
Collaboration is a huge part of what I do. Developing a product involves much more than back-end engineering, so I work closely with colleagues who specialise in areas such as user experience, front-end development and infrastructure. I also collaborate with teams across the business to integrate existing tools and capabilities into our own products.
Since joining RELX straight from university, one of my biggest challenges has been making the transition from coursework and internships to developing products used by real customers. It was daunting at first, but it has also been one of the most rewarding parts of my career so far. Fortunately, I've been surrounded by supportive colleagues who helped me get up to speed quickly and gave me opportunities to contribute from the start. Since joining, I've worked on multiple products at different stages of development and with a variety of technologies, allowing me to expand my skills and continually learn new approaches.
RELX has been an excellent place to begin my career. I've been trusted with meaningful work from an early stage, given opportunities to learn new technologies and supported by colleagues who genuinely want to help each other succeed. The collaborative culture, the variety of challenges and the chance to work on products that contribute to better AI outcomes have made it an exciting place to grow as an engineer. Every project brings an opportunity to learn something new, and that's one of the things I value most about working here.