Pinterest Engineering: Meet Grace Mtawali from Seattle

Grace Mtawali interned at Pinterest during the Summer 2025 season. Now, she’s back on the team as a Software Engineer I within our Monetization org. Learn more about what led Grace back to Pinterest, how she’s using AI within her role and her note to aspiring interns. 

Hi Grace! You recently returned to Pinterest in a full-time role after interning with us during the Summer 2025 season. Can you share more about your role and team? 

I work on the Attribution team in the Monetization org as a Software Engineer I. Attribution is an ads-specific term that refers to identifying which Pinterest ad interaction (like a view, engagement or click) is responsible for a conversion event within a given attribution window. Attribution can also be evaluated at more granular levels, such as campaign- and brand-specific performance. These insights enable advertisers to adjust their ad spend based on how much value Pinterest advertising provides and help bolster optimization and modeling performance.

What made you want to come back to Pinterest? Were there specific moments from your internship that influenced your decision to return? 

The culture definitely sold me. I think it's rare to find a place that challenges you but still leaves room for making mistakes in a nonjudgmental yet constructive way.  The level of support I had during my internship was unmatched: a mentor, a new grad buddy, and regular check-ins with my intern cohort and summer recruiter. I feel this shows a culture that values inclusion and belonging on multiple fronts. I also particularly appreciated how accessible everyone on my team, as well as in the wider org, was (and still is). My curiosity was met with friendliness and openness, despite how busy I’m sure everyone was.

As a Software Engineer based in Seattle, what’s the office space like? 

The office space is thoughtfully designed, with plentiful, diverse seating, lots of natural light, soothing greenery, onsite IT, a barista station and even a game room! The Seattle-themed rooms and nooks are also a lovely touch. It’s great working for a company that values ensuring that its employees are comfortable and fed. Shoutout to the on-site staff that works tirelessly to keep the space safe, clean and well-stocked.

How are you using AI within your role? Are there any tips you’d share with others? 

As a new grad, there is a lot I don’t know. In order to reinforce major concepts, I create quizzes using company wikis and documentation that test me on conceptual knowledge and situational cases. I think doing this frequently has helped me ramp up faster.

I also utilize AI-assisted development workflows like personas, which mold the voice and lens I want AI to use when addressing my questions. Additionally, I use skills to automate common tasks that I do on a day-to-day basis, such as code exploration.

In terms of tips, I would say being extremely explicit in your directives is key. I’ve found it helpful to draft instructions in a separate doc and assume that you are explaining something to someone that has limited understanding of your codebase.

What advice would you give to job seekers interested in a Pinterest internship or joining the Pinterest Engineering team? 

I encourage embracing authenticity and curiosity, which I believe show up in professional spaces, through both interactions and personal projects, by creating room for shared knowledge, exploration, and opportunity. These traits also deeply align with Pinterest’s core values, directly driving success within the company and user satisfaction.

How are you currently using Pinterest to find inspiration? 

My partner and I are planning a trip in the next year so travel inspiration has taken over my whole life.