A Day in My Life as a Director of Engineering at Agoda Bangkok

Hi, I’m Shaun Sit, a Director of Engineering at Agoda, based in Bangkok.

I moved from Singapore to join Agoda over 10 years ago. I started as a Data Engineer, working mostly on Hadoop. Now, I lead two teams here: the Data Platform and Gen AI Tools teams.

Every day here is a mix of leadership, innovation, and collaboration. Let me take you through what a typical day looks like for me and give you a glimpse into the exciting world of tech at Agoda.

Starting the day with focus

My day usually starts with a cup of coffee from the office pantry—it’s my little morning ritual. As I sip my coffee, I check Slack to catch up on updates from my teams. This helps me get a sense of what’s happening and where my attention might be needed.

Agoda operates on a hybrid work model; I come to work in the office two days a week. I love the energy of in-person collaboration, especially when my days are often packed with meetings. For example, I might catch up with the Infrastructure team and the Vast Storage team to discuss the evolution of our Data Platform.

Collaborating with my teams

A big part of my role is aligning my teams with leadership’s goals and priorities. I break down high-level strategies into actionable steps, set expectations, and provide the context my teams need to succeed. I also work to clear roadblocks, foster collaboration, and create space for innovation. My goal is to make sure my teams have everything they need to move forward with confidence.

Agoda’s Data Platform team

I’m particularly proud of our Data Platform team. Over the years, we’ve transitioned from Hadoop-based systems to a modern, scalable architecture. Today, we use tools like Vast for data storage, Spark for data processing, Kubeflow for scheduling and Kubernetes for orchestration. It’s a massive operation, and Agoda is one of the biggest users of Kafka in the region, transferring 700 TB of data daily.

What makes our approach unique is that we host our data on-premise instead of using cloud services. This decision comes with its own set of challenges, but it also offers incredible learning opportunities. Our engineers get hands-on experience with the entire stack, which helps them develop a deep and diverse skill set.

Enjoying Bangkok’s food scene

One of the perks of working in Bangkok is the amazing food. We have plenty of choices, from grabbing a quick bite at the office or exploring something new with my team.

Innovating with Generative AI

In the afternoon, I usually have a one-on-one meeting with my team members. Today, I’m chatting with one of my reports, who is working in Singapore, to discuss the progress of our data platform migration initiatives. After that, I often turn my attention to the GPT Tools team.

Agoda’s GPT Tools team

We launched the GPT Tools team in 2024. This team is all about introducing generative AI to everyone at Agoda and helping our people adopt it to boost productivity. It’s been amazing to see the impact—thousands of engineers use AI assistants to code in new programming languages, and analysts save time on queries. We’re working on a new feature called “Side Chat” to make AI interactions even smoother. It’s exciting to be part of something that’s transforming the way we work.

Wrapping up with learning and connection

I like to end my day by tuning into Tech Talk, an internal event where teams share insights about their projects. It’s a fantastic way to learn more about what’s happening across Agoda and stay connected with the broader engineering community.

Why work as an engineer in Bangkok?

My role at Agoda is as challenging as it is fulfilling. I get to work on cutting-edge technologies, lead talented teams, and make a real impact on the company’s direction. Plus, I get to do all of this in a city as vibrant and dynamic as Bangkok.

If you’re passionate about technology and want to be part of a team that’s shaping the future, I’d encourage you to explore engineering opportunities at Agoda Bangkok. It’s a place where you can grow, innovate, and make a difference.