Jameel Egbaria tells us how competition only helps the Tel Aviv office work better
In the heart of Tel Aviv, one Dropbox office stands high above the city, where a small group of team members work closely together to help the world work better — and enjoy a little bit of ping pong, too. Software Engineer Jameel Egbaria is one of these competitive yet friendly Dropboxers who calls the office home. He shared with us his thoughts on being a working parent, creating community, and tackling the challenges of everyday life in Israel.
Can you tell us a little about your education and journey to Dropbox?
I studied computer engineering at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. I worked for a company called Checkpoint for two years, and after that I started looking for a new job. Out of several options, I signed a contract with a startup called CloudOn, and after one year Dropbox acquired the company. Since then, I’ve been working for Dropbox.
What’s your favorite thing about being a software engineer? How do you feel as if you are challenged/can excel as an engineer at Dropbox?
My favorite thing at Dropbox is the work life balance. I have a family and kids, so they require a lot of attention and sometimes I have to take a day off or time off or work at night when they sleep so I can take care of them in the day. I work two days a week from home, so the work life balance is the thing I value most.
Dropbox supports families and parents, and they understand the constraints when you have small kids. I have twins, two baby boys, so it’s much more difficult than one kid! On the other side, this is also the most challenging thing; sometimes I don’t know when to stop when I’m working from home at nights.
In terms of other challenges, my manager is giving me the opportunity to grow all the time, to lead projects and people, to become a better engineer, to tackle open tasks. They’re always enabling me to go out of my comfort zone.
In your opinion, what makes Dropbox Tel Aviv unique?
I think that the chemistry between employees makes us unique. We are considered a small office, about 60 employees, and we all know each other. We have good relationships, not only work relationships but personal ones. We are like a family, a tribe.
How would you say Dropbox Tel Aviv creates community?
Dropbox invests a lot in the community. We organize meetups in the office, and we support organizations that focus on both the technical side and the diversity side. Dropbox invests a lot in building bonds with many categories and funds a lot of events and initiatives that come from the outside. A lot of students come to the office and get mentors here who help them find a job in the tech industry.
What is your favorite part of the office?
I like the ping pong table area! I don’t think I’m good, but I like the sport. Just a few months ago I started to play with my colleagues, and we started to have some competitions, and at some point I started to defeat them. I feel like the ping pong table is a kind of stress relief.
How are you making the most of working from home?
Usually I really enjoy working from home! I like making a homemade breakfast, then working in the fresh air in my garden (when weather allows). I work until about 16:30, then I pick my kids up from kindergarten. Right now though, working from home is a lot more limited, as the kids stay with us in the house 24/7. My wife and I try to be creative by splitting the day into 3 hour shifts during which we can focus on getting stuff done. We also start earlier and work at night when we need to. It is a challenging time, but we also enjoy being close with all of our family members!
Want to learn more about our Tel Aviv location, and our other offices around the world? Check out our jobs page.
