Search

Home > DataTalks.Club > From Simulations to Freelance Data Engineering: Orell's Journey Out of Academia and Into Consulting - Orell Garten
Podcast: DataTalks.Club
Episode:

From Simulations to Freelance Data Engineering: Orell's Journey Out of Academia and Into Consulting - Orell Garten
Category: Technology
Duration: 00:58:22
Publish Date: 2025-08-01 17:00:00
Description:

In this episode, we talk with Orell about his journey from electrical engineering to freelancing in data engineering. Exploring lessons from startup life, working with messy industrial data, the realities of freelancing, and how to stay up to date with new tools.


Topics covered:

  • Why Orel left a PhD and a simulation‑focused start‑up after Covid hit
  • What he learned trying (and failing) to commercialise medical‑imaging simulations
  • The first freelance project and the long, quiet months that followed
  • How he now finds clients, keeps projects small and delivers value quickly
  • Typical work he does for industrial companies: parsing messy machine logs, building simple pipelines, adding structure later
  • Favorite everyday tools (Python, DuckDB, a bit of C++) and the habit of blocking time for learning
  • Advice for anyone thinking about freelancing: cash runway, networking, and focusing on problems rather than “perfect” tech choices


A practical conversation for listeners who are curious about moving from research or permanent roles into freelance data engineering.
Total Play: 0