Get to know the humans of Clearpath, what they do and why they chose a career at Clearpath!
Meet Tracey, who manages our Continuous Integration team.
Q: How did you get into Software development?
A: Growing up, I had always enjoyed math and science. In high school, I took computer classes and found them to be very interesting. It made a lot of sense for me to get into computer science in University. For one of my internships, I took on a role that focused more on devops, which I found to be an area that really piqued my interest. Everything else is history!
Q: What drew you to Clearpath?
A: When I read the job posting, I felt like the job was tailored to me and my skill set. I had previously spent my entire career working at a larger company with over 300,000 employees worldwide so the prospect of starting in a smaller local company where you can make a real difference really attracted me to the role.
Q: Did you have any prior experience in Robotics?
A: No. I thought it was interesting and cool but I never had any experience working with robotics. I am not a tinkerer in any way but it was an interesting change from my previous experiences.
Q: What does your team do?
A: I manage the Continuous Integration team. We automate processes throughout the software lifecycle from source code integration all the way to deploying to customers. We build, test and deploy the software using a mixture of enterprise and home-grown tools. We also create simulation platforms that allow other internal teams to simulate how a robot would behave so that we don’t all need a physical robot. We are in charge of the infrastructure that the build/test/simulation services run on, which entails: software upgrades, performance tuning and working with external vendors when issues arise. Our team has a very broad scope so there is always something new to learn.
Q: What does a typical day on the Continuous Integration team look like?
A: There is no typical day here at Clearpath! No two days are ever really the same. When we come into the office, we ensure that all critical systems and processes are up and running properly and efficiently. We also work closely with our development team on support tickets or issues that may arise, as our development team is our internal customer. We work on developing new processes and automation and also research new ways and methodologies to make our systems more efficient.
Q: What’s the most satisfying part of your role?
A: When you are coding an automated process (for example: our developers submitting code through Gitlab, where our process will compile and test it through our entire stack and provide feedback) and seeing it through is very satisfying. Seeing it work and the impact it has on our customers (adding value) is a great feeling. We love to automate things! Our team is always researching new ways to innovate and move us forward.
Q: What do you look forward to when coming to work in the morning?
A: The people – I work with a bunch of great team members. The work we do is interesting, but the people are the main reason why I come into work everyday! The people that I get to work with are open to ideas, and are wonderful to collaborate with. They are always willing to help when needed. They teach me something new everyday.
Q: What are the must-have skills or knowledge for this role?
A: I believe having the ability to learn new skills and be willing to experiment with new technologies is very important in this role. The devops role is evolving – there are a lot of new methodologies out there, so having the ability to adapt to change is also very important. And of course, the ability to program is essential. We primarily code in Python.
Q: What differentiates Clearpath from other companies?
A: Work life balance is very important to me. Clearpath has a lot of flexibility. I love that I can work from home whenever I need to. We also get two community days that we can use to volunteer and participate in community events. Clearpath also has a really talented team of individuals, working together and learning from one another. It’s great when you are able to learn from those you work with.
Q: What advice do you have for someone interested in applying to Clearpath?
A: Reach out to someone working here and talk to them. Clearpath is more than just robotics!
Q: How would you describe the diversity here at Clearpath?
A: There is lots of diversity here at Clearpath. We have people from different backgrounds and fields (in software), and experiences. I love the different perspective that this brings to our processes and seeing how it all works and comes together is an amazing feeling.
Q: Who is your favorite robot? And why?
A: I really don’t have one – but if I had to pick one it would be Rosie from the Jetsons! I love a robot that can clean my house!
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