Tech lead
Simone is a tech lead at AViSTO in Sophia Antipolis, particularly in C ++, Java and JEE technologies. He presents his rich and unusual career, tells us about his job and explains why he advises young engineers he meets to join AViSTO.
Become a Tech Lead
Q: Simone, can you tell us about the path that led you to become a tech lead?
Simone: I graduated from the University of Bologna in astroparticle physics; I also have a DEA from Joseph Fourier University (Grenoble I). As I did not want to continue in the field of research, I decided to branch off to computer programming. I started working with a friend on a project to develop GUIs in C ++. Then, with another friend, we developed an application in Java ME (Java Micro Edition) for mobile phones; it was before Android. I then entered a large service company where, for 4 years, I developed in C ++ graphical interfaces for workstations. I left Italy and started working in Sophia Antipolis through another service company. I wanted to go to the domain of the web, so I made UI (User Interface) in JavaScript. Following this, I joined AViSTO.
And at AViSTO, what projects did you work on?
Simone: I started with a great project to develop a digital dashboard for a stand-alone electric vehicle. It was a hybrid project, since it had a backend in C ++ and a front end in HTML5. It allowed me to build skills on JavaScript and HTML5 parts. Then, I worked on a second project, still in the world of the web, with Java technologies, mainly with the Java Spring framework. And right now, I’m working in full-stack on an AngularJS-Spring web application.
Tech Lead job
You are a tech lead; what does it consist of?
Simone: To sum up, it means being at the service of your team. You have to drive it, because there are times when you have to make choices, respect deadlines. In your team, you have competent people, with more knowledge than you in specific areas. They must be put in condition to be able to express their full potential. So it’s a job of listening, discussion, openness, trust, respect.
Tech lead skills
To do your job, do you need technical skills?
Simone: Absolutely. You need them to be able to speak and have the respect of the developers; listen, talk is not enough. I have noted this in particular with the young engineers: if they see that you are open, that you transmit your knowledge, it installs immediately a very good working atmosphere, with mutual respect .
What is difficult in your tech lead job?
Simone: Team management is always difficult, because each person is different, there is a real job of psychology to do. Especially since at certain moments of the project, you have to make choices because there are deadlines to respect. For your decisions to be understood, you have to communicate a lot with your team, to explain. I like that, I’ve always liked it.
SCRUM Master
You are also a scrum master, what does it mean?
Simone: The scrum master is, along with the product owner and the developer, one of the three specific roles of the SCRUM methodology, which is itself part of the family of Agile methodologies. You are responsible for various tasks, including the management of the project life cycle (eg organization of different monitoring points and daily meetings), communication with the outside world, protection of the team, etc.
What do you like about being a software tech lead?
Simone: What I like about computer programming in general is the creative side. Many non-technical people are surprised when I use this adjective; and yet, it takes a lot of creativity to solve the problems we are facing.
And then, I also like having a quick and useful result. To give you an example, at the end of my studies in physics, I did a simulation work for a measuring instrument that was installed on a space station … 8 years later! In computer science, you write, you compile and you immediately have the result. This difference between the times of particle physics and computer programming is one of the reasons why I chose the second specialty!
And why software programming?
Simone: In theoretical physics, you do everything with a computer, many simulations for example. So I had already done computer science at the university. And then, now that we discuss about it together, it’s true that in primary school, I had my first computer and I developed small things in Basic (on a Commodore 64) and in ARexx (an interpretation language for Amiga). It did not make me a little geek, but I liked it. And it’s really at the University that I started.
Tech Lead at AViSTO
What can you tell us about your tech lead job at AViSTO?
Simone: I’m happy. It is a company that is human. I had been recruited by Christophe Parmentier, who has since become a regional manager. He is correct in his relationship to the person, he has honesty, respect. I have worked for many companies, the same for my friends, and it’s really something rare. He listens to his engineers and always strives to find the solution that satisfies everyone. When I meet a young engineer, I do not hesitate to talk to him about AViSTO, it’s a company that I really recommend.
Java/JEE Developments
Here are two examples of projects at AViSTO:
- Development of an aggregation and data presentation system for air quality measurements.
- Study and implementation of a software forge providing continuous integration and test automation services for a telecom customer.
Tech Lead Jobs
To discover the latest job offers at AViSTO, visit our job board, where it is also possible to apply spontaneously.
Many thanks to Simone for his testimony!