just-talking/user-profile

Profile of Aner Zakobar for context in future conversations.

Company: Applied Materials
Role: ML / deep learning, research-oriented (Algorithm Team R&D)
Base salary: 39k NIS/month
RSUs: ~30k USD/year (locked in for at least 4 more years)
Feeling: stable, good job security, but not happy with day-to-day or org visibility
Self-perception: feels he is past "just developing"

BSc + MSc, Ben-Gurion University, 2019–present
MSc thesis: ROLL (Rate Optimized Likelihood Loss) — a novel loss function for differentiable ROC/AUC optimization under label noise. Uses KDE to approximate output score distributions, custom backward pass, evaluated on KEEL, CIFAR-10N, NIH ChestX-ray14. Competitive under clean labels, leads under high noise rates.

8200 IDF Intelligence Corps (2013–2018): Designed/built end-to-end SDR communications systems. Built Linux-based DSP infrastructure. Created extensive GNURadio training curriculum — "wrote the book" on how the military uses GNURadio and DSP software development. Recognized for technical + general excellence.
Gita Technologies (2018–2022): Protocol Security R&D. WiFi/Bluetooth protocol weakness research. Real-time protocol analysis systems. ML for cross-correlating targets across networks.
Applied Materials (2022–present): ML/DL for classification and filtration in semiconductor manufacturing. Full ownership from data acquisition to deployment. Both DL and classical CV algorithms, real-time constraints.

Homey: Production-quality self-hosted home server on NixOS/Raspberry Pi. SOPS secrets, Podman containers, LDAP+Authelia auth, Nextcloud, Gitea, Jellyfin, Backblaze B2 backups, ntfy push notifications, Uptime Kuma. Serious infrastructure project with full disaster recovery docs.
GNURadio military course: Built infra and guidelines from scratch — shaped how the intelligence corps does SDR/DSP development.
Autonomous spacecraft landing software in Kerbal Space Program
Custom NixOS+Emacs environment

Rare domain breadth: SDR/DSP → Cyber/Protocol Security → ML/DL research → LLM era. Almost nobody has all four.
Research + engineering: Can write novel ML loss functions AND ship production systems. Not just one or the other.
Full ownership instinct: Repeatedly takes end-to-end ownership (data → deployment, infra → curriculum). Not a component person.
Teaching/training instinct: Wrote the GNURadio curriculum for the military. This is a hidden leadership signal.
Deep systems builder: Doesn't just use tools — builds infrastructure (Homey, 8200 DSP infra) and documents it properly.
Low-level + high-level: From kernel DSP infrastructure to abstract ML loss function math. Rare combination.

ROLL thesis: publishable novel ML research. If not yet at a venue, this is high-ROI.
SDR + ML intersection: almost no one has both. Huge niche in wireless security/RF anomaly detection.
Teaching background: not on the CV in a way that reflects its real scope.

Values: research depth, ML/DL work, feeling intellectually challenged
Wants engineering management — has informal experience but no formal title
Concern: both current job AND considered startup role feel like "just developing"
Decided (99%) not to take the startup offer — kids, pay cut, high effort for uncertain return