Behind the builder: Kate Molony, Software Engineer

In this #BehindTheBuilder post, Kate shares her journey from intern to full-time Twilion on the Operational Insights team. While based in Ireland, she’s helping teams across Twilio work smarter by building systems that turn complex data into clear, actionable insights — all while embracing remote life, continuous learning, and cross-team collaboration.

Behind the Builder: Kate Molony

What’s your Twilio origin story, Kate? How long have you been a Twilion? 🛤️

I got my start at Twilio as a college intern while I was studying at the University of Galway, and right away, it felt like the right place to launch a career in tech. I was surrounded by talented engineers who supported me while also pushing me to grow — and that balance made a huge difference. 

I came on full-time in October 2024, and honestly, what keeps me here is the constant variety of opportunities. There’s always a new challenge, a new project, or something unexpected to learn. The work is interesting, but the people make it even better.

Twilio’s a builder’s playground — so what are you building, and why does it matter? 🛠️

I love that everyone here is considered a ‘builder,’ because the work we do helps other builders — both inside and outside Twilio — be creative and make things that matter. That’s exactly how it feels on the Operational Insights team.

We’re building an internal data lake — a central hub that brings together data from across Twilio — to give teams a clear, unified view of internal operations. The goal is to help them spot inefficiencies, uncover insights, and make smarter, faster decisions. 

One of the biggest challenges is making sure all that data is reliable and accessible at scale, but when it’s working well, you can really see how it improves the way teams operate. Knowing our work makes things easier and more effective for others is what makes it meaningful.

What makes your team one-of-a-kind? 🏆

What makes our team special is how small but skilled we are — everyone brings something different to the table, and that mix of strengths creates a great space for learning. We’re always sharing ideas, whether it’s about new tools, technical approaches, or just different ways of thinking about a problem.

One thing I really appreciate is how we treat our work as a continuous cycle of improvement. We don’t just ship something and move on — we listen to feedback, adapt to how the data’s being used, and keep iterating. When someone has a new idea, the team rallies around it and builds on it together. We work fast, support each other, and stay focused on building things that actually help people — which makes it a really energizing team to be part of.

How has remote work shaped your experience? 🏡

Working remotely at Twilio has been such a positive experience. Not having a commute means I have more time for things I love — like running — and I’ve even started using a walking pad during meetings to stay active throughout the day.

I also really value the flexibility to work from anywhere in Ireland. That kind of freedom makes a big difference when it comes to work-life balance.

One thing I’ve had to learn, though, is to be proactive about reaching out when I’m stuck. It’s easy to hold back in a remote setting, but over time I’ve realized how important it is to speak up early and often. Fortunately, I’m part of a really encouraging and approachable team, which makes it easy to stay connected and ask for help when I need it.

Tell us what has been your biggest growth moment at Twilio and what helped you get there. 🌱

A defining moment in my development came during my internship, when I had the chance to work closely with a team outside of the one I was officially part of. That cross-team collaboration gave me exposure to different kinds of work — and it ended up shaping the direction of my full-time role. I eventually joined the team I’d been partnering with on that project, which felt like such a natural next step.

Since then, having regular 1:1s with my manager and open conversations with the team has really helped me develop my skills. I’ve been able to speak up about the kinds of projects I’m interested in, and people have been encouraging in helping me explore those areas. That kind of openness and trust has had a huge impact on how I see my role evolving over time.

Is a career at Twilio the right fit for you, too? 

Twilio helps businesses connect with customers more effectively, making every interaction smarter and offering a competitive edge. And we’re hiring for some great jobs right now! 

Are you considering Twilio? Learn more about:

• The Twilio Magic — our core values and principles.

• Twilio Together — how we support each other while creating better products and helping our customers.

What Life at Twilio is really like.