Seattle Data Scientist Praises Short Commute to Amazon Office

Sarthak Gupta moved to Seattle before landing a job at Amazon and now lives a 7-minute walk from the office, which he says has given him a career edge.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 9:05am

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Sarthak Gupta, a 29-year-old data scientist at Amazon, moved to Seattle in 2024 before landing a job at the company. He now lives a 7-minute walk from the Amazon office, which he says has allowed him to focus on building his career instead of being drained by a long commute. Gupta believes his proximity to the office has also helped with networking and visibility with company leaders.

Why it matters

In an era of increased remote work, Gupta's experience highlights the potential benefits of living close to the office, especially for young professionals looking to establish themselves at a new company. His strategic decision to move to Seattle before securing a job at Amazon paid off, as it allowed him to quickly integrate into the company's culture and take advantage of in-person collaboration and networking opportunities.

The details

After landing the job at Amazon in 2024, Gupta moved to the South Lake Union neighborhood in Seattle, where he shared a two-bedroom apartment just a 5-minute walk from the office. He later moved into his own one-bedroom apartment, still only a 7-minute walk away. Gupta prioritized living close to the office, even though he found some cheaper options further away, because he believed the short commute would allow him to focus on building his career. The 5-day per week in-office mandate has worked well for Gupta, as he finds it easier to collaborate with his team and connect with company leaders when everyone is physically present.

  • Gupta moved to Seattle in early 2024 before landing a job at Amazon.
  • Gupta joined Amazon in July 2024 as a senior risk analyst.
  • Gupta recently moved into his own one-bedroom apartment in South Lake Union, a 7-minute walk from the Amazon office.

The players

Sarthak Gupta

A 29-year-old data scientist at Amazon who moved to Seattle before landing a job at the company and now lives a short walk from the office.

Amazon

The American technology company where Gupta works as a data scientist.

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What they’re saying

“The short commute has allowed me to focus on building my career instead of feeling drained from getting to and from work. It's also made it easier to attend networking events in the area after work.”

— Sarthak Gupta, Data Scientist (Business Insider)

“Working from the office makes it easier to connect and collaborate with my team. When everyone is physically around, you don't have to set up meetings for every small discussion. You can just walk over, ask a quick question, and keep moving.”

— Sarthak Gupta, Data Scientist (Business Insider)

The takeaway

Gupta's experience highlights the potential career advantages of living close to the office, especially for young professionals looking to establish themselves at a new company. His strategic decision to move to Seattle before securing a job at Amazon allowed him to quickly integrate into the company's culture and take advantage of in-person collaboration and networking opportunities.