Welcome to “3 Questions with …”, a recurring feature on the Career Center blog. We’re asking alumni of all graduation years and career interests to share a bit of their experiences and advice.
Naomi Moskowitz, ’23, NobleReach Scholar

1. In a few sentences, please tell us about your current job/graduate program/vocational endeavor.
Currently, I am a NobleReach Scholar and machine learning engineer at Anduril Industries. As a NobleReach scholar, I participated in a three-week boot camp in Washington D.C. where I was introduced to D.C. leaders working to bridge the gap between federal government operations and advancing technologies. I learned about the inner workings of government that don’t make the news headlines and witnessed the potential for impact when serving in the government.
As a scholar, I have also enjoyed connecting with my cohort of similarly minded young professionals who believe in the importance of our government adopting industry technologies. Continuing in this year-long Scholars Program, I will be working at Anduril in their Massachusetts office on projects that support the U.S. Department of Defense and Homeland Security, while simultaneously receiving career development and mentorship from NobleReach and meeting up with my cohort quarterly in Washington, D.C.
2. How did your time at Tufts influence your career journey?
I came to Tufts for my master’s degree in data science because I knew I wanted to work in applied machine learning; however, I had some gaps in my knowledge from my undergraduate degree in cognitive science. I am grateful for the many machine learning courses that Tufts had to offer, which allowed me to enter the workforce feeling I could confidently contribute to machine learning projects with the knowledge I had gained from my professors here.
Additionally, while at Tufts I was able to do research with the Center for Brain and Cognitive Science, a joint research lab between the School of Engineering and the U.S. Army DEVCOM Soldier Center. There, I experienced working on engineering projects that advance U.S. military preparedness and protection for our service members. Meeting the service members who participated in the lab’s experiments reinforced the importance of this work and allowed me to feel like I was using my skills for service as well.
3. What advice would you offer to a student who wants to pursue a career path like yours?
I have three pieces of advice that I’d like to share. The first is, I urge every student to consider working for an organization that contributes to a mission you truly care about. I have found that it’s so easy, and even exciting, to go into work every day knowing I am making an impact.
Second, I would like to tell every student that it’s never too late to learn. Coming out of my undergrad, I knew that if I wanted to use my cognitive science degree for applied machine learning, I would need more experience in the mathematical foundations of machine learning. Spending just a year and half learning at Tufts allowed me to then confidently career pivot.
Finally, I would advise students to pursue your interdisciplinary interests. Oftentimes students are told to concentrate on one area of expertise; however, I have found that embracing your interdisciplinary interests (as I did by also receiving a B.A. in Arabic Studies) allows you to imagine more creative and diverse solutions and even find fulfilling careers that bridge your interests.
About the NobleReach Scholars Program
The NobleReach Scholars Program is a one-year full-time placement at a federal agency or government-focused industry partner, with the goal of connecting top science and tech talent with public service opportunities to help close critical talent gaps and gain experience using our unique skills to solve real world problems. This year’s cohort is working at places like the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Space Force.
NobleReach is a nonprofit working to strengthen the security and prosperity of our nation through talent and innovation, bringing together the entrepreneurial agility of the private sector, the ideas of academia and the scale and purpose of the public sector to solve our nation’s technological challenges.
Applications for the Scholars Program are open now through December 4, so apply today!
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