A day in the life of… Konstantina Fotari, Senior Software Engineer, Manchester
Meet Konstantina and learn more about her role a software engineer, what inspires her and her advice to others.
I’m responsible for…The Core Tech Analyst Platform. A stable and scalable set of infrastructure and services to enable analysts to run ad-hoc data analysis, and scheduled deliverables using Jupyter notebooks and spark-on-Hadoop clusters.
How I got into data and technology…I remember as a child, I loved computers. Not in a form of science, I had no idea what I could do with them, but I just loved typing or playing and being around computers. When I grew up I knew that was what I wanted to do, that’s what I wanted to study. So, I got my BSc, started working, and then I got my first masters. I loved it, I was right!
Best part of the job…is the job itself! I do what I like, in a great environment. Every day I learn something new. Every day is a chance to do something better.
What makes working at dunnhumby different… it is one of the best business environments I have worked in. People are nice, friendly and willing to help and share knowledge. What I love about working here is that we are using cutting edge technologies and we focus on quality products. People share knowledge because they want to, not because they have to, which is brilliant.
Outside of work…I love keeping up with technology, I often study or go to Meetups. I enjoy science, watching documentaries and going to conferences. I also love music and concerts, spending time with friends, sometimes going to the gym and reading.
Who inspires you…When you love what you do, you can get inspiration for everything. Firstly, the people I love and my family who always give me the will to do more and never give up. Also, I am proud to say that my colleagues are a great inspiration for me, the people in my team give me a reason to try more and improve every day.
My advice for others interested in data and technology…I am a technology person, working as a software engineer, so my advice would be never give up. There are so many things you can learn and so many ways to be innovative and make a difference in the world using technology.
And for women wanting to pursue a career in technology…Even though it sounds difficult to be a woman in tech, I would say that I’ve hardly ever had to face any issues with that. Being a woman in tech is exactly the same as being a man in tech, I personally haven’t encountered any discrimination. As any engineer, your ‘weapon’ is your passion to become better, being open minded, being an active listener and improving yourself day after day.
Favourite book… Jitterbug Perfume by Tim Robbins
Favourite movies…Fight Club by David Fincher and Underground by Emir Kusturica
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