Computer science student gains practical experience with Google internship

John Shamoon, a computer science student in the Wayne State University College of Engineering, wanted to "do cool things that matter," and set his sights on working for Google.

After completing his sophomore year he was hired as an engineering practicum intern at Google to work on developing simulated devices to test the Android Bluetooth stack. The goal of the project was to eliminate the need for having multiple devices present to test Bluetooth network protocols.

"By emulating devices, testing can be more automated and will allow the tester to test the stack with only one Android phone by pairing to fake devices," said Shamoon.

Shamoon believes his grades made his application stand out to Google. In the interview, which was conducted over Google Hangouts, Shamoon recalls that his programming knowledge was the most helpful.

"In my interview, they asked me questions (about concepts) I had learned in Computer Programming 2 the week before," said Shamoon.

The internship with Google was Shamooon's first job, which he describes as a "fantastic place to work" where everyone is happy and enjoying their job as well as the weather. He stated that the most valuable lessons he learned at Google were "to be confident in my abilities, keep asking questions, and to welcome feedback." Shamoon expressed that the best part of the job was moving to Mountainview, California as well as being able to be creative and work with incredibly smart and innovative people. He is excited to return next May as a software engineering intern.

Shamoon plans to use the experience from both internships to parlay him into a career at Google or another high-tech company after graduation.