Aug 14 2018
Social VR at Facebook: Create, Share and Build Communities in an Immersive New Medium
By Meta Careers
Virtual reality (VR) has the potential to connect people in entirely new ways, because it allows us to feel present together — no matter where we are in the world. At Facebook, the Social VR team is designing technologies that help people to create, share meaningful moments, and build communities using the unique qualities of this immersive new medium.
From building apps to exploring new media formats, Facebook’s team of designers, engineers, and artists are leveraging diverse technologies — from storage infrastructure and streaming to machine learning and graphics — to push the boundaries in this new field. We’re constantly looking to expand our teams with dynamic and passionate people who are excited to develop experiences that help people come closer together through the power of this emerging technology.
To gain some insight into the range of roles available in Social VR at Facebook, we connected with four team members to talk about what inspires them and why they’ve chosen to focus on VR.
Pierre L., Android VR Engineer, Social VR
I loved gaming and computers as a kid, but growing up in inner-city Toronto, I didn’t even know what programming was until I started my first computer science course at the University of Toronto. It was a tough learning curve, but I had the grit, resilience and work ethic to keep going. I was inspired to work in a creative space where you are visually rewarded for your software engineering work. Now, as part of Facebook’s Social VR team, I’m focused on graphics work for mobile VR platforms, such as GearVR and Oculus Go. I get to work at the intersection of art and technology and help build products that solve real-world problems and bring joy to people. And, we get to work with some of the best people in the industry, who are veterans of gaming, computer animation and FX. We're able to get creative and solve new problems, while shaping the next computing platform.
One of the most powerful things VR enables is the ability to bring people together and allow them to have shared experiences, even when they’re not in the same physical location. VR can be an empathy machine, bridge geographic boundaries, revolutionize education and training, and provide incredible experiences that would not be possible in real life. And while we are just at the beginning of this nascent industry, the 5-10 year outlook is amazing. We’re just getting started.
Alex A., Social VR Software Engineer
It all started with a hackathon in early 2016. I was a Production Engineer, working on Infrastructure Automation at Facebook, but I had a strong personal interest in virtual reality and wanted to try my hand in developing something for it. I seized the opportunity during the hackathon, creating a prototype which allowed people to access their computer’s desktop in a new intuitive way that took advantage of VR’s unique capabilities.
From there, I met with a product manager who had just joined the company to create a new team that would explore the full realm of Social VR, focused on using VR technology to keep people connected around the world. I joined his new team as the first engineer and we produced even more prototypes — some of which ended up being part of the design for Facebook’s first Social VR product, Facebook Spaces! I can’t express in words how excited and grateful I am to be working on this team. Working with bleeding-edge technology inspires me to push my boundaries and help find the next great thing.
The icing on the cake is the amazing team I work with. In addition to being brilliant and collaborative, my team loves to have fun. For example, we have a “Selfie of the Week” contest, where we pick the funniest selfie that was taken in VR throughout the week! The winner is rewarded with some heavy cheering and bragging rights for the week, and it’s all smiles around the office. I’ve come to learn that Facebook searches for not only talented individuals, but team players who can expand their way of thinking and grow their passion for achieving Facebook’s mission of bringing the world closer together.
Yiyu L., Research Scientist & Manager, VR Content Services
VR is still in very early stages and there are a lot of brand new, exciting, and even unknown opportunities we’re exploring. I'm a Research Scientist and Manager on a team that focuses on VR content strategy, working on ways to help people discover great VR content that interests them. Specifically, my team drives innovative solutions for immersive media by building a reliable infrastructure for VR content ingestion, discovery, delivery and playback.
Our work is essential as VR content is one of the key components that brings people together around shared interests in VR -- and it requires a strong services foundation. To accomplish this, we utilize a diverse range of technologies, including upload pipelines, storage infrastructure, compression, streaming, recommendation, machine learning and graphics. Those who are interested in joining the team can surely look forward to not only mastering their own craft, but having the opportunity to grow their portfolio and learn new technologies.
Rachel C., Art Manager, Social VR
I didn't have a lot of experience in virtual reality, but I knew it was something I wanted to explore after spending 20 years working in the film and game industries. During my interview with Facebook, I met with some really great people with similar backgrounds and right away my interest piqued. I discovered a world where my past experiences could help shape the future of VR, and I embraced the exciting challenge of building a 3D art team within the Social VR space.
The best thing about the Social VR team? The Team. There is a partnership and collaboration across disciplines, including leadership. Everyone is passionate about making great products in VR. We are encouraged to contribute ideas, ask questions and and give feedback to each other and the products we make.
VR has the potential to change the world. Social VR will be one of the primary drivers of that change, and building the right creative team to shape the future is why I get excited to come to work every day.
Art Credit: Social VR avatars by character artist Steve R.
More about the Social VR team at Facebook
From software engineers and product managers to product designers and technical program managers, click here and get to know more of the Social VR team and what inspires them to build.
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