Hi, I’m Allen Mai, a senior studying Computer Science at Georgia Tech. I found Saras Micro Devices on LinkedIn and was immediately drawn to the startup environment. I had a great experience working on a startup-style team during my junior-year capstone, and I wanted to re-engage with that fast-paced, collaborative setting, where work isn’t mundane and you’re expected to solve real problems.
Coming into the internship, my goal was to get hands-on experience automating manual workflows, working closely with end users, and transitioning spreadsheet-heavy processes into structured systems backed by a proper database. Saras gave me the opportunity to do that while also helping me understand how engineering teams actually operate day to day in an R&D-heavy environment.
My Role and Projects
I worked in the R&D department on the core data infrastructure supporting panel movement across the manufacturing lifecycle. My focus was on automating the Work-in-Progress (WIP) system, structuring how data is tracked between processes, and designing a pipeline to scale this data architecture using Microsoft Fabric.
My projects included:
- Excel Automation: Wrote reusable Excel templates and Office Scripts that automate panel shifts across tracker sheets (e.g., Coatings → Metalization → Laser). This removed the need for manual copy-pasting and reduced tracking errors.
- Data Normalization: Designed the WIP_Long table format, which is a flat, structured version of the kanban-style WIP sheet, which standardized panel entries across processes. This became the single source of truth for reporting and integration.
- Visualization: Used Power BI to build dashboards that show panel throughput by process, compare daily shift targets vs. actuals, and break down panel classifications (DOE vs. BKM) using logic tied to tracker-specific columns.
- Database Integration: Connected all Excel-based workflows to Microsoft Fabric’s Lakehouse using Gen2 Dataflows. The goal was to enable scalable, queryable data pipelines that can support analytics without needing constant manual cleanup.
This work required combining front-end usability (Excel and Power Apps) with backend architecture (Fabric and Lakehouse schema design) while also ensuring process owners could easily interact with the tools I built, even if they weren’t familiar with code or databases.
One challenge I encountered early on was the lack of structure typical in a startup. Things move fast, priorities shift, and there’s rarely a fixed template to follow. But I learned to adapt by regularly checking in with my manager and process owners, asking clarifying questions, and iterating quickly based on feedback.
Key Highlights and Moments
One of the most impactful moments was shadowing process owners and watching how they manually updated WIP trackers. I saw firsthand how often small errors, inconsistent naming, or repetitive tasks slowed down operations. That visibility helped me prioritize the right automation, especially in places where users needed tools that didn’t just work but fit into how they already worked.
Another highlight was the team itself. Everyone at Saras was extremely helpful, whether I needed clarification, design input, or quick feedback, someone was always willing to help. That support made it easier to move quickly and gave me more confidence when building and deploying tools that directly impacted day-to-day work.
What I Learned
This internship helped me grow in several areas:
Technical Skills
- Gained hands-on experience with Microsoft Fabric (specifically Lakehouse + Gen2 Dataflows)
- Learned how to build scalable workflows using Excel Scripts, Power Automate, and Power Apps
- Improved my TypeScript through Excel scripting and Power Platform logic
- Built Power BI reports with custom DAX tied to shifting goals and panel attributes
- Designed normalized data models from unstructured, user-facing spreadsheets
Soft Skills & Systems Thinking
- Learned how to translate user feedback into technical solutions
- Practiced scoping projects based on actual process pain points and available data
Impact
- Reduced manual effort in WIP tracking by over 50%
- Cut false positives in shift reports by adding validations
- Helped prevent process-stage data leaks through stricter logic in shift scripts
- Created a standardized data flow:
- Excel input → Lakehouse → Power BI reporting
Advice for Future Interns
- Ask questions early, especially when planning out your work. You’ll avoid building the wrong thing as things can change very fast
- Be sure to take initiative since as an intern at a startup, there’s a lot for you to do and many will appreciate your effort/work
- Stay flexible as things shift quickly at a startup, and you’ll learn more if you’re open to adapting your work based on feedback.
Closing Thoughts
This internship gave me a meaningful opportunity to build practical solutions that made tangible impacts on the team. Throughout this experience, I grew significantly in workflow automation, data modeling, and user-centric design, while gaining firsthand exposure to modern data management practices in a fast-paced hardware engineering environment.
As I approach my final semester at Georgia Tech, I feel confident in my ability to design technically robust solutions that is practical and intuitive with end-users. I’m incredibly grateful to my mentors and teammates at Saras Micro Devices for their support, encouragement, and trust in my work. I look forward to carrying these valuable experiences forward into my next chapter.
