Starting as an intern at Bells Lab, Eric completed an entire re-write of Lex, a software program that produces lexical analysers for the UNIX computer operating system. On top of his prominent career, he has also served on numerous academic and industry boards, some of which including the Boards of Trustees for Carnegie Mellon University, Apple, Princeton University, and Mayo Clinic.
In the early stages of his career, Eric succeeded in a series of technical roles with IT companies such as Byzromotti Design, Bell Labs, Zilog, and Palo Alto Research Center. In 1983, he moved to Sun Microsystems to act as its first Software Manager, a position that led him to become Director of software engineering, Vice President of the general systems group, Vice President of the software products division, and President of Sun Technology Enterprises.
He was recruited to run Google in 2001, joining their board of directors as Chairman and soon after became CEO. Google stated that Schmidt's responsibilities included "building the corporate infrastructure needed to maintain Google's rapid growth as a company and on ensuring that quality remains high while the product development cycle times are kept to a minimum." Along with his colleagues and Google, co-founders Page and Brin, PC World included Schmidt in their 2007 List of 50 Most Important People on the Web, ranking him number 1.
Schmidt also acted as government advisor with roles in multiple administrations. In 2016, Eric became Chair of a new advisory Defense Innovation Board for the US Department of Defense. After Obama was elected to POTUS in 2008, Schmidt became a member of President's transition advisory board and then a member of the US President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST).
Eric’s other ventures include teaching at the Stanford Graduate School of Business in the 2000s and serving on the boards of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton and the Khan Academy. He is also the co-founder of the Schmidt Family Foundation, which he established in 2006 with his wife, Wendy Schmidt, highlighting the issues of sustainability and the more responsible methods for natural resource production. Additionally, again partnered with his wife, Eric established the Eric & Wendy Schmidt Data Science for Social Good Fellowship. The University of Chicago summer school program gave aspiring data scientists a chance to experience the industry.
With a passion for fighting climate change, Eric also established the Schmidt Ocean Institute which supports oceanographic research, by operating RV Falkor. As a public speaker, he reflects upon his knowledge of sustainability, to advise business owners on responsible practices. A popular business speaker, Eric is also in high demand for his decades of industry experience.
