Valerie Mazars de Mazarin

Computer Scientist

U.S. Department of Justice

Manassas, VA USA

“Become comfortable with who you are as a person and what you’re good at, and find a way to own it.”

Videos

By Roadtrip Nation

Valerie Mazars de Mazarin

Milestones

My road in life has been direct.

I’ve been interested in problem-solving and puzzles from a young age.

I decided to pursue computer science in college so that I’d be able to develop my interest in problem-solving.

In college, I got an internship in information technology doing research for enterprise architecture at Honeywell.

After the internship, I transitioned into a full-time position as a solutions architect for Honeywell—I gained a lot of experience navigating corporate culture working for a big company.

I then moved on to work as a consultant and developer for Booz Allen Hamilton—my clients were within the Army and Navy, so I gained some exposure to government work.

I was encouraged by a connection on LinkedIn to consider working for the government—it was something I was interested in, so he directed me to a special hiring initiative for the FBI.

I now work as a computer scientist at the Washington field office for the FBI, where I use my background and skills in computer science to help the agents do their job.

Keep following my journey

Education

High School

Bachelor
Computer Science
Georgetown University

Career

Computer Scientist

I use my skills in computer science to help FBI agents do their job.

Career Roadmap

My work combines:

Technology

Government

Problem Solving

Advice for Getting Started

Here's the first step for college students

Find side projects that you can work on to help develop your skills and gain experience. These kinds of projects are valuable on your resume even if they aren't actual paid work. The experience you display does not have to check a box for paid work or some pre-set timeline. Any extra classes or academies you can participate in or side projects that you can work on are all great opportunities to both build your skills and make you a desirable candidate for jobs.

Hurdles

The Noise I Shed

From Myself:

"I'm not good enough to gain the opportunities I want."

I had always thought about working for the government and potentially joining the FBI but I didn't think it would be a reality for me. In my opinion, I wasn't in the top tier of people that got opportunities like this. There always seemed to be people who were faster or more skilled. I've learned that that doesn't have to be a blocker. If you stick to an interest and hone other areas of your overall portfolio and image, you can build yourself up in enough areas to be competitive and desirable.

Interviewed By

At Your Fingertips

Computer Science Roadtrip