I work as a Junior Python Dev. at a company for over a year now, almost a year and a half, I'm based in UK, London. Since they hired me, I've been working alone on a project, an AI/Data Science project, using technologies I've never used before, in an area I've never worked on. I was given the task to develop it, with no specific deadline but to make progress.
I thought, okay, great, I'll have something new to learn. It was good for a while, it worked for a few months, and then they assigned me another project to work on. This another project is also full of new technologies I've never used before. So, I'm working on two projects, and I faced more and more challenges because, as I mentioned, many things were new and still are. I asked for help several times, but fundamentally, I never received help because, as it turned out, there's no one in the company who understands this specifically AI-related field. I found out later that they would like to sell this product (that I've been developing on my own) which to me is kind of insane since I'm just a junior and never did something like this before...
I always got the response to try to solve it on my own because they couldn't help. So, I tried to do it alone, lots of attempts, research, rewriting, testing, and I managed to complete about 90% of the project, but I got stuck. I don't know how to finish it, and I'm not getting any help. I feel like I'm starting to hate programming because of this. The worst part is that since I didn't finish it, since I got stuck, I was told to decide whether I can finish the app or not because if not, they have to let it go, and that would be quite bad... Is this normal or I'm just at the wrong company? Salary is also really low with no benefits, the only good "benefit" is that it is full remote.
I always hear that my performance is very good, my work is appreciated, and people enjoy working with me. However, because of these, I fear that they might part ways with me... although, as I think about it, maybe it would be for the best? Some senior developer friends of mine have told me that I shouldn't have accepted this job offer in the first place, but unfortunately, there were no other options at that time.
I'll tell you my view, although it is obviously not a religious truth.
I have been in similar situations, and do not take it as an scaring fact, but companies do not tend to be 100% honest in the appreciation they have for your work, even if they want to. I'm mot doubting your work and progress is uber-valuable, but companies usually tell you that they appreciate you while thing are going in the good way. When the company faces issues, every detail they were not considering becomes a poisoned arrow against you.
That said, do not take this as a pessimistic view. I think you should just answer to yourself honestly: are you learning and having a growth perspective (as an ML engineer/Data Scientist) within the company? Are you feeling respected and valued (including in conditions/salary)? If the answer to any of these questions is No, I suggest you to begin searching for your new place. Remember that you don't owe a thing to the company and the day they feel you are no more useful for them they will let you out without a doubt (that applies to any company).
Whatever you decide, I wish you good luck.