At DoorDash, we support team members with the tools to ensure that underrepresented identities and perspectives are valued and can thrive. We’ve taken intentional steps in all aspects of our hiring, pay equity and promotion efforts to empower equal outcomes.
While we have dedicated programs to support women employees internally, we’re also partnering with great organizations like Women Who Code, where together we’re pushing toward a world where women are proportionally represented as leaders, executives, board members, software engineers and more.
Our very own Monica Blaylock joined Women Who Code CEO Alaina Percival last year to discuss her career growing up in Portugal, moving to San Francisco for an internship and eventually landing in Berlin as an Engineering Manager as part of the DoorDash team.
For the longest time, Blaylock was resistant to moving into a management role with concerns she’d lose her technical prowess. When she finally did make the jump to management, she found the collaboration and ability to support others in their career journeys just as engaging as the hands-on coding she was accustomed to. Outside of the actual work, she recognized that finding the right company to support her as a working mother was also a top priority. And that’s where DoorDash fit in.
“My kids are all teenagers now, so I’m in a very different phase from other people that I work with,” Blaylock said. “What I’ve learned, in partnership with my husband, was finding the jobs that supported me in the different phases of being a mother. You have to have the right setting to succeed as a mother and as an engineer. It’s very important to be aligned so that you are happy in both roles, both are very important. We spend a lot of time at work so we want to feel accomplished but it’s also important to come home and feel happy and be a happy parent too.”
That support extends into the workplace as well, with a culture of opportunity to own your career growth.
“I’m a rock climber, and people sometimes say in order for you to see if you can do the move, you just have to visualize it. I think it’s the same thing in your career. If you see women in management, that empowers you,” Blaylock said.
“As a woman in engineering, you have to own your career and really find your superpowers. Actually, this is something that Tony (Xu), our CEO once said, and I never thought about. I was so focused on what I wasn’t doing well that I had to improve. No, find your superpowers and double down on that. Optimize for success.”
Don’t forget to join us this year at Women Who Code’s premier developer conference, CONNECT Recharge, on May 26, to learn more from a diverse group of speakers about their technical expertise.
If you’re looking to solve technical, big-scale and challenging problems at a high-paced company, come join us at DoorDash. Check out open roles on our high-growth teams today!
#1 – Tell us about your role and journey so far at DoorDash.
I’m an Engineer on the Drive Growth team here at DoorDash. I joined DoorDash about seven months ago, and a big reason for picking DoorDash was the excitement about the projects I would work on, especially building from the ground up. My experience has been great so far — it’s equally challenging and satisfying. I get to learn about a new set of technologies and industry (very different from my previous job) while also leveraging the expertise I have to build a great product.
#2 – How did you get into software engineering?
I’ve always been fascinated by technology ever since I was a kid. That followed me through college where I studied Computer Engineering. I gravitated towards the software side of things and found myself enjoying that more than my hardware courses.
#3 – What does a day in the life at DoorDash look like for you?
I typically spend a good amount of focus time to write code and help out other team members. The days I do have meetings are usually for updates on the various projects I’m involved in, tech design reviews and demos. Occasionally there’s ad hoc meetings to discuss ideas with my team members.
#4 – What kind of impact are you making for our DoorDash customers?
DoorDash is great at delivery, and most people are familiar with food delivery. DoorDash Drive extends that to provide white-label delivery for businesses. The projects I work on are about making what Drive is great at, more accessible to anyone. DoorDash Developer, which was recently released to the public, empowers developers by making it easy to integrate delivery into what they build. In as little as 3 lines of code, you can send a dasher from point A to B. This unlocks a world of possibilities, use cases and business scenarios never thought of.
#5 – What do you love most about working at DoorDash, and what do you think is important for potential candidates to know?
The people. Everyone I have met at DoorDash has been great, there’s a friendly atmosphere and everyone is super eager to learn and help each other. One thing candidates should be aware of is that there’s a lot of room to make an impact here at DoorDash. As a fast-growing company, there are so many great projects, new ideas and opportunities that arise that make it an ideal place to learn and grow.
Ready to experience life at DoorDash? Check out open roles on the Engineering team and apply to an open role today!
#1 – Tell us about your role and journey so far at DoorDash.
After joining DoorDash as part of the Caviar acquisition, I spoke with our VP of Product Management & Design, Rajat Shroff, about how I could support the product team and utilize my passion for team cohesion and building processes. My role as his Executive Business Partner quickly evolved into other responsibilities, such as supporting the company-wide planning team, creating programs to welcome new employees on the team, and encouraging team bonding through virtual coffee chats/get togethers throughout the pandemic. About a year ago, I transitioned into my current role as a Product Programs lead, focusing on processes, strategic initiatives, and overseeing projects for Rajat and team. In this new position, I’ve led initiatives and built programs such as the Product Manager University, a Women in Product group, and other learning and development programs.
#2 – What are some examples of product development projects and strategic initiatives you’ve worked on? What are some of your favorite projects you’ve been a part of?
I’ve worked on a variety of product development projects, supporting company-wide planning, creating Product Manager University (onboarding curriculum, process and experience) for new Product Managers. A personal passion of mine has been building out our Women in Product program through initiatives such as AMA’s with guest speakers and building workshops for women PMs.
#3 – What does your day to day look like? What are some highlights of your day?
One of the things I most love about my role is, every day is different. My day to day fluctuates depending on my priorities for that week. My schedule ranges from team and ad-hoc meetings, to 1:1 conversations to larger team meetings and carving out time to build and project manage initiatives I’m responsible for.
#4 – You’ve been invited to speak on the Meant For It podcast, what is your talk about?
Following the theme of the podcast — sharing stories of fulfilling career paths and pursuing dreams — I discussed my professional journey and career path. I don’t have a common background or linear path working in tech and product, and yet, I get to learn and be part of a team focused on building products that deliver solutions to the communities we serve.
#5 – What are some of the challenges you’ve overcome in your career?
When I decided to join the tech industry, I had been working at a nonprofit and I decided to move from Guatemala to San Francisco. I just wanted to be in tech and I thought it was going to be easy. Then I realized how competitive the market is, and I got a lot of no’s at the beginning. I almost gave up on my tech career dream. But then I got into a startup, started as a recruiting coordinator and that gave me the entry to start my career in tech. Ever since that moment, I’ve loved being part of teams who are building new and exciting products.
#6 – What do you love most about working at DoorDash, and what do you think is important for potential candidates to know?
It has always been a priority for me, to be part of something that positively impacts peoples lives. Working at DoorDash, we get to be part of the solution and solve tough problems for all the communities we serve. I’ve seen exponential growth in my career and in others as well. We’re a mission-driven, fast-paced and growth-based environment.
#7 – As a successful woman in tech, what advice would you give to others looking to break in?
Despite what you might think, you don’t have to be a computer wiz or come from an Ivy league school to break into tech. It might seem daunting at times, that being said there are career opportunities in tech for people across a broad spectrum of skills, background and ambitions.
No matter how many no’s you might get, no matter how many people tell you can’t do it, and no matter how many times it gets really tough, you only need one person to say yes and one door to open. As cliche as this sounds, this is what I have experienced.
Ready to learn about the career path you can own at DoorDash? Check out open jobs today!
Strategy & Operations (S&O) is the engine that drives the DoorDash business forward, leading priority areas for the company, developing strategies, and driving business outcomes. DoorDash embraces and invests in this function because of our belief in an ownership mentality — our employees can develop the strategy and execute it.
As part of a hyper-growth tech company, we’re always looking for talented individuals who are excited to learn, build, and grow beyond what they thought was possible.
Join us at our upcoming event on April 13, where five S&O leaders from across our organization will share their career journey before and at DoorDash, impactful projects and initiatives they have worked on to make DoorDash 1% better every day, and advice for those looking to start or grow their career in S&O.
Attendees at the Grow Your Career in Strategy & Operations event will hear from:
Lauren Zanedis, Sr. Manager, Drive
Lauren started her career in business development in the international art auction world before going to business school, which offered the operational and financial toolkit to apply to the range of ambiguous problems faced at DoorDash.
Imani Grant, Director and GM, Southeast Region
Imani received a degree in Advertising from Temple University before starting a career in Advertising Media Planning. Later, Imani went back to school to get an MBA at Cornell, spent some time in management consulting, and spent two years as an entrepreneur before joining DoorDash. Imani has had several roles in the last 2.5 years, consistently and creatively driving the businesses forward.
Cody Aughney, Sr. Director, Dasher, Logistics & Global Quality
Before DoorDash, Cody worked in the hospitality industry, running slot operations, analyzing table games performance, and working on IT systems. Since joining DoorDash six years ago, Cody has worked on initiatives to help small businesses grow, provide flexible work opportunities, and offer affordable convenience to consumers.
Toby Espinosa, VP, DoorDash Ads
Toby began a career in finance, working for an investment office making capital allocation decisions before joining DoorDash. At DoorDash, Toby has had a varied background, launching new cities, building out our business development function, and starting our ads business.
Rob Chen, Director, Drive, International
Rob’s first job out of grad school was as an analyst at a consulting firm. Rob joined DoorDash as an individual contributor to grow and scale the Drive team, and today is leading the team to grow the Drive business internationally.
Join us on Wednesday, April 13 from 12-1 p.m. PT (3-4 p.m. ET) to hear from these panelists and learn how you can spice up your career at DoorDash. Register here today!
#1 – Tell us about your role and journey so far at DoorDash.
DoorDash was just my second job out of college and almost everything I’ve done here has been a first. From scaling businesses to hitting sales targets to managing a team, it’s been amazing to be at a place that bets on your potential and provides opportunities to grow.
#2 – What does a day in the life at DoorDash look like for you?
No day is the same and things can change almost hourly. With high growth, it’s important to be able to adapt and iterate quickly, but that’s what makes it so exciting to be here. Overall, my day is really focused on solving complex problems. From helping my team remove any blockers to success or working with merchants directly to resolve their pain points, it’s humbling to be able to help.
#3 – What has been your proudest accomplishment in your career?
My proudest accomplishment has been building diverse teams and helping them grow. I spend a majority of my time recruiting and developing people so it’s exciting to see them rack up wins and become ready for the next stage of their career.
#4 – What kind of impact are you making for our DoorDash customers?
The most direct impact I’ve had on our customers has been increasing the selection of our enterprise merchants, both in convenience and the restaurant verticals. I’ve had the pleasure of scaling access to thousands of unique locations, helping offer delivery in even some of our smallest markets. Being able to give access has been the most rewarding aspect of my work.
#5 – What has been your experience in the WeDash program?
I did a WeDash a few weeks ago at a convenience store in NYC and the experience itself was helpful in informing what we need to build to enhance our dasher experience at convenience stores. I’m bullish we’ll continue to build a best in-class experience for our new verticals.
#6 – What ERGs are you involved in (if any) and how have they supported you at DoorDash?
I helped create Latinx@DoorDash (recently renamed Unidos@DoorDash) and served as co-chair for almost two years. Now, I continue to support as a general member. ERGs have given me an amazing sense of community here at DD. It’s been amazing to have a brave space where you can connect with people from similar backgrounds and cultures.
#7 – Since you will be speaking on the Upwardly Global panel, could you please share how your immigrant experience has shaped you?
Culture has always been important to me. As an Iranian/Mexican American I’ve been fortunate to have a broad experience when it comes to cultural identity and appreciation for the diversity immigration creates. Outside the household I was also exposed to various immigrant experiences because my school was on the Mexican border and a large population of students were undocumented. Immigration has helped me understand unique experiences through stories from friends and family, making me more open minded to all of our amazing differences.
#8 – What do you love most about working at DoorDash, and what do you think is important for potential candidates to know?
I love being able to make a positive impact at a large scale. This is one of the rare places where you can come in with any background and experience level and still make an astronomical impact with your work.
Ready to learn more about what it’s like working at DoorDash? Check out open roles on the Sales team and apply to an open role today!
#1 – Tell us about your role and journey so far at DoorDash.
I joined DoorDash at the end of November 2021! I lead an engineering team named Merchants Acquisition under DoorDash Drive, the white-label fulfillment delivery service. My team currently focuses on creating the best new merchant onboarding experience as well as launching Drive business internationally. Before DoorDash, I worked at Amazon for over six years.
#2 – How did you get into software engineering?
When I was in high school, I had no idea what major to pick in college. I ended up taking AP economics, accounting, and psychology in my senior year, but still didn’t have a firm preference. During my first semester in college, my first software engineering course was Intro to Programming. It turned out to be my favorite subject and I made my choice from there.
I graduated with dual majors in Computer Science and Statistics, and decided to enter the tech industry as a software engineer to utilize my technical background.
#3 – What has been your proudest accomplishment in your career?
At the end of the day, I always found the most fulfilling part of my job to be an influence to people I work with. To see their growth in their career and personal development gives me the deepest pride. Through my time as a people manager, I’ve promoted people to higher levels as well as helped people transition to different career tracks.
#5 – What kind of impact are you making for our DoorDash customers?
My team currently focuses on creating the best new merchants onboarding experience onto DoorDash Drive as well as approaching international merchants by launching Drive business in different countries.
We aim to deliver a superior customer experience through dashing!
#6 – What do you love most about working at DoorDash, and what do you think is important for potential candidates to know?
I love seeing the real passion from every single person I work with, being part of the growth mindset of this company and witnessing the visionary and caring leadership.
#7 – You’ll be speaking at an upcoming IT Sessions event hosted by Upwardly Global, a nonprofit that helps immigrant and refugee professionals rebuild their careers in the United States. What can attendees expect to hear about on March 16?
At the event, I will be sharing my own experiences as an immigrant, some difficulties I’ve met and principles I found useful to overcome them. Hopefully that will shed some light on people who will attend the event and inspire discussion topics in the session.
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Check out open roles on the Engineering team and apply today!
DoorDash is committed to growing and empowering inclusive communities within our company, our industry, and our cities. We hold ourselves accountable to diversity, equity, and inclusion not only because it allows us to better understand and serve our stakeholders, but also because it’s the right thing to do.
Today, we are honored to share that the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation has given DoorDash a 100 percent rating on its annual Corporate Equality Index in the company’s inaugural ranking. With this score, DoorDash has earned the designation of being a “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality” and in addition, is becoming a National Corporate Partner with the HRC Foundation to further our commitment to advancing a more inclusive workplace and community.
Fostering a company culture of Pride and allyship
In 2018, we formally launched our Pride@DoorDash Employee Resource Group (ERG) as an opportunity for employees who identify as LGBTQ+ and their allies to build community, influence business decisions, and help create a more equitable DoorDash. Pride@ is one of eight ERGs at DoorDash, all of which are supported by executive sponsors on our Management Team.
“Pride@DoorDash brings together the LGBTQ+ community and their allies at DoorDash, helping to build a company where all employees feel seen and respected in order to do incredible work every day on behalf of our customers. The Pride@ ERG is a driving force within the DoorDash community and has helped bring important initiatives to life for our LGBTQ+ employees and communities. At over 800 members today, this group of employees has fostered a culture of inclusivity that will continue to scale and make us better as DoorDash grows.”
– Elizabeth Jarvis-Shean, Pride@DoorDash Executive Sponsor & VP, Communications and Policy
The Pride@ ERG has contributed to significant efforts throughout DoorDash, such as: the company-wide effort to display personal pronouns; hosting events and educational sessions on the experiences of those in the Queer community; working closely with leadership to build more inclusive restrooms in our new and existing offices; and introducing more LGBTQ+-friendly employee benefits, including coverage for egg freezing procedures, adoption & surrogacy fees, hormone therapy, and more.
“The Pride@DoorDash ERG is a place where we have been able to create a space for members to feel comfortable sharing their experiences, as well as people asking for advice on how to be better allies. Watching the community that exists within our group support each other, from sharing movie recommendations to wedding announcements to frustrations of encountering less than welcoming people in our lives makes doing the work of leading an ERG worth it.”
– Miranda Burbridge and Tara Scuderi, Pride@ ERG Co-Chairs
Raising up Queer voices from the inside out
To fulfill our mission of empowering local economies, we must empower everyone in our communities. That’s why, over the last several years, we’ve taken a stance to publicly support the LGBTQ+ community.
As a company, we officially endorsed the Equality Act and filed an amicus brief before the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold equality in the workplace and condemn discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. We have also partnered with the GLBT Historical Society to educate our customers on the history of some of the LGBTQ+ communities we serve, as well as launching collaborations with LGBTQ+ owned stores, and establishing marketing initiatives to drive visibility for them.