Alexandra R., a strategic sourcing manager at Reality Labs (RL), recalls her first impression of Meta and what stood out to her from the start: a smart, diverse and supportive community of people.
Alexandra R., working from home in Ireland.
“When Meta knocked on my door with an exciting career opportunity with RL in Cork, Ireland, I was immediately intrigued by the adventure,” she says. “I knew the role was an incredible opportunity, but the interview process really blew me away. I was surprised to find that I felt amazed by every person I spoke with. I saw their exciting vision for the future, but I also loved how kind and knowledgeable everyone was. I knew right then that I wanted to collaborate with these people and have a part in the innovative work taking place in Cork.”
Camaraderie and culture
Meta’s office in Cork is home to Reality Labs and several other teams that work cross-functionally to research, develop, and build software and hardware products. Team members come from different parts of the world, each bringing their unique experiences and expertise to their roles.
Michaela W. outside a castle entrance near Templenoe, Co. Kerry.
Michaela W., a process development engineer, joined RL just two years out of college. She remembers how the RL team helped her build her confidence. “I connected with someone from Meta after applying to hundreds of roles and only receiving a couple of offers to interview,” she remembers.
“I loved my field of study and working on semiconductors, but it started to feel like it was impossible to find a new position in the industry. I was thinking about what else I could do when I met a woman from RL at the Women Society of Engineers conference and she told me she was taking a few more resumes.”
From that serendipitous first meeting to the interview process and eventually relocating to Cork from the US amidst the pandemic, Michaela says that the people she talked with made all of the difference in her experience—particularly while working remotely. “Our team really cares about people,” she says. “I’ve experienced imposter syndrome, being early in my career and surrounded by teammates who have already done amazing work. One thing that stands out is how much people empower one another. They want to hear your opinion, because we want to give everyone a voice. When you have a question, all you need to do is ping someone and you’ll have an answer.”
Kate K. exploring Malaga, Spain while traveling around Europe.
Kate K., a research engineering manager at Reality Labs, echoes Michaela’s praise of the strong camaraderie in Cork. “The sense of closeness is not just on one team, but across all teams here,” she notes. “We have so much fun together. When we’re all in the office, we laugh hysterically over lunch.
“I love that our culture isn’t lateral—there’s no hierarchy or division with management. The culture at Meta here in Cork is totally centered on teamwork. ”
Niamh W. on a hill walk around the Mangerton Loop in Killarney, Co. Kerry, Ireland.
“I appreciate that we focus on empowerment,” adds Niamh W., a process integration manager. “This starts at the top and spreads out to leaders and managers who think about how to support their teams, rather than telling them what to do. I believe that this culture of collaboration inspires people to do their best work, helping us solve complex problems and break through barriers together.”
Fostering diverse connections and friendships
“I often look around at my teammates and think, ‘We’re creating a revolution’,” Alexandra beams. “It’s incredible to pause and reflect on how we’re working together to build technology for a new world while collaborating across teams and sites. The software and hardware products we’re developing are to help people connect more deeply and in truly meaningful ways, no matter where they are.”
Aziz T. soaking up the sunshine during lunch in Skibbereen in Co. Cork.
Aziz T., a hardware engineer, shares Kate’s passion for the work taking place at RL in Cork and says that a sense of shared curiosity and drive to make a difference serves as a foundation for a strong community. “We’re like-minded in many ways, so the people you’ll work with in Cork are likely the same individuals you would love to spend time with outside of the office,” he says. “Many of us moved to Cork for our roles, so we have that in common as well. We understand what it’s like to start a new chapter, and our friendships extend beyond work. We’ve built music and gaming rooms, and we have a number of Facebook Resource Groups to get involved with.”
From the Black@ Meta resource group and Women@ Meta resource group to programs like Meta’s
Be the Ally, Aziz says he loves seeing representation and involvement across the organization. “Cork is a relatively small office, but we’re an incredibly diverse community and action-oriented group of people. People care about allyship and genuinely want to support each other. It’s something that’s highly unique to Meta and it benefits all of us. It feels good to be there for someone else, and we all know that someone will be there for us, too.”
This post, originally published on July 12, 2021, was updated on June 14, 2022, to reflect our shift to Meta and new details about team members, roles and responsibilities.