A day in the life of… Gary Guan, Graduate Full Stack Engineer

A day in the life of… Gary Guan, Graduate Full Stack Engineer

Ever wondered what a day in the life looks like at Vortexa for a Graduate Full Stack Engineer? We sat down with Gary to find out what his day-to-day life looks like, what is the most interesting aspect of his role, and what he really thinks of our company culture…

15 November, 2024
Jessica Irvin
Jessica Irvin, VP People & Operations

Gary is a Graduate Full Stack Engineer on the Application Development Team. He was born and raised in China before moving to the UK for University. He loves making friends from all over the world and exploring different cultures through travel. The photo you see is from his trip to Egypt, one of his favourite adventures.

Prior to joining the company, Gary obtained his master degree in Computing with a specialism in Finance from Imperial College London. During his undergraduate studies, he used to work as a part-time software engineer during term time.

Fun fact: I can do some magic tricks

What does day-to-day life in your role look like?

My day starts by checking emails and Slack messages and updating my personal to-do list until I attend the daily standup meeting to sync with my team. After that, I dive into my tasks, which vary in nature and keep things interesting. I also collaborate with colleagues from other teams to solve shared issues.

What would you say is the most interesting aspect of your role?

The most interesting aspect of my role is that there’s always something new to learn and explore. As a graduate, I love the challenge of constantly expanding my skills by diving into new concepts. Being a full stack engineer also means I get to work across the entire stack—from the user interface to the data logic, allowing me to understand and contribute to every part of the product.

What was your path to joining Vortexa? 

I discovered the job posting on a job board, and it immediately caught my interest. The interview process was great—getting to speak with several engineers who were not only friendly but also incredibly knowledgeable, which made a strong impression on me. I received the offer and knew it was the right opportunity to take.

What I love about the culture at Vortexa is the people. Everyone here is incredibly knowledgeable in their field and always willing to help out, which makes for a supportive environment.
What kind of qualities does a person need to have to succeed at Vortexa?

Self-Motivation, Continuous Learning and Collaboration.

What do you like about the culture? 

What I love about the culture at Vortexa is the people. Everyone here is incredibly knowledgeable in their field and always willing to help out, which makes for a supportive environment. On top of that, innovative ideas are genuinely encouraged, which keeps our product evolving at a rapid pace.

Who do you collaborate with?

I mostly collaborate with my pod – Voyagers 🚀 to solve issues and make design decisions. I also have opportunities to work closely with the product team, discussing ways to enhance our offerings, and with engineers from other teams to tackle cross-functional challenges.

What are the first three things you do on a Monday morning?

Grab a coffee to kick start my day, review the work I completed last week, and then plan my tasks and priorities for the coming week.

What energises you most about working as a Graduate Full Stack Engineer at Vortexa?

The mix of constant learning and the amazing company culture!

Jessica Irvin
VP People & Operations
Vortexa
Jessica Irvin
Jessica is the VP People & Operations at Vortexa and is responsible for hiring, learning & development, culture, engagement, performance management and leading expansion plans.