I am a software engineer and team lead with more than 20 years of professional experience working primarily on web sites, services & APIs, developer education, and professional development. Most recently I've been focused on distributed systems (Service-Oriented Architectures) and smashing legacy monoliths. While I am not opposed to front-end development roles, I am far more attracted to roles that are focused on back-end projects.
Particular things that I enjoy working on include
- creating healthy engineering cultures
- developing sustainable processes
- robust API development and design
- team leadership
- working on distributed systems
- increasing the professionalism and craftsmanship of teams
My technical background is primarily in OO languages. My daily language for the past 6 years has been Ruby, in which I possess a strong mastery. However, I am interested and open to roles that require learning new languages. Rather than being intimidated by the prospect, I am invigorated at the opportunity to expand my ability to solve problems.
I possess strong written and social leadership skills, and frequently take on project and organizational leadership roles. I am a passionate advocate for understanding software as a means to an end, namely that of solving a human need or desire, and strive to make the end user a stakeholder in everything I do.
I am a frequent public speaker on technical topics, addressing the problem of technical communication with my experience bridging the gaps between disparate interests. I am a teacher and mentor in my various communities, an advocate for hiring and working with junior developers as a critical piece of an engineering organization's long-term health. I engage with others in creating positive communities focused on collaboration and cooperation, and working to promote voices that aren't being heard.
You are an organization that is making deliberate choices about who you are, where you're going, and how you want to get there. You may have made some wrong turns along the way, but you have a goal in mind and want to get there.
You may be 2 people in a garage. You may be 200 spread across 2 cities. You may be 2,000 spread across 4 continents. You understand that scale brings on different sets of challenges at different inflection points, but that it is still all about people.
You have a focus on employees as individuals, and invest in them, through building a work culture that values collaboration, respect, and empathy, while expecting professionalism, engagement, and craftsmanship. The idea of "confident humility" may not be a phrase you bandy about the office, but it's one that you immediately recognize as being something your culture celebrates.
I have been working remotely for over 3 years, based in the Pacific NorthWest and British Columbia. I would like to continue to be a remote/distributed employee, but am open to relocation to select regions and locations, especially those outside the United States.
Things that will excite me about your company include:
- An HR department or designated, experienced person who handles HR issues
- Flexible schedules - no 9-to-5 clock watching
- Support for employees using company time for things like professional development, open source contributions, and community outreach
- Support for employees improving their skill sets, even if it means they might eventually leave
- Inclusive health care
- Supportive of local (as you define it) tech communities
- Have a plan to hire more junior developers in the future
- I wouldn't be the only woman on the team
- Growth plan that is 'Who are we, who succeeds here, and how can we be better?'
- Active, open, honest discussion about inclusion and diversity
- Solid benefits package that helps employees not worry
- Competitive salaries
- Generous or untracked PTO
- Small, quality-of-life benefits
Things that will make me less interested in your company include:
- No women or other minorities in technical roles
- An internal "culture team" that is all-female
- No HR or plan to deal with HR-related issues
- No support or involvement in the technical community
- Benefit plans that nickel-and-dime employees
- Business plan to extract money from the world, instead of making it better
- Lack of plan for growth - "Hire everyone now, then we'll figure out our culture"
Regardless of your industry or business plan, ultimately you are solving real problems that people have, not merely creating diversions for a privileged few.