Andrea is one of our Lead Engineers, responsible for solving complex data-management challenges to support the development of the Vortexa platform.

Prior to joining Vortexa, Andrea worked in academia, doing research in the field of mobile accessibility and assistive technologies. He also co-founded a start-up to transfer these technologies to the market.

Fun fact: Andrea doesn’t eat tomatoes in any form!

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

I lead a group of very talented engineers and my day starts with catching up with them and with the wider team. Right after, I chat with other team members that may require my opinion or that are waiting for my feedback. In general, I clear out all tasks which may be blocked, before focusing on the task at hand, which can be anything from collaborating to the design of new functionality for our platform to diving deep into our data.

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

We deal with a huge quantity of real-world data from a very complex domain. This poses many interesting engineering challenges that can only be solved by communicating between teams. Collaborating with great people with different work and life experiences is a great opportunity to develop our skills, share our knowledge and grow as professionals and individuals.

What was your path to joining Vortexa?

I started in academia, researching and developing innovative technologies to support visually impaired persons in everyday activities using smartphones and tablets. Then, I decided to challenge myself with a different career and move from Milan to London to work as a full-stack engineer. After experience in another start-up, I joined Vortexa.

What kind of qualities does a person need to have to succeed at Vortexa?

A person must be knowledgeable, thrive for perfection and possess curiosity and drive. We have plenty of interesting engineering problems to solve and great minds to learn from, available for everyone that is ready to tackle the challenge.

What do you like about the culture?

I enjoy the open, collaborative environment that we have. Every single person at Vortexa is always keen to support a colleague, never too busy to answer a question or provide an honest opinion. You have the feeling that everyone is pushing in the same direction.

Who do you collaborate most with at Vortexa?

Our team is responsible for the delivery of data to users. For this reason, I often collaborate with all other teams following the path of data. In particular, with the Predictions & Market Modelling Team who are the source of our data and the Product and Design teams who know our users and guide us in implementing the solutions that best answer their questions.

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

Coffee, Slack, Asana, stand-up meetings, coffee… Did I already say coffee? Oh, should there be only three?

What energises you most about working as a Lead Engineer?

The opportunity to work with great people and the impact that I can have on our company and on my colleagues. As an engineer, I love the fact that my work contributes directly to the wider group’s success. Also, coming from an academic background, I enjoy supporting other people in their personal and professional development.