"Software Engineering isn't just about high tech, it's about empathy as well"

David on:

• What Software Engineering has to do with empathy,

• Why Zühlke Bern offers "the best of both worlds",

• How complex and interdisciplinary his tasks are at Zühlke Bern.

David joined Zühlke 14 years ago as a junior developer, climbed the career ladder, moved to Bern in 2018 and a year later became Lead Engineer. One thing hasn't changed, though: his passion for coding. He still spends around 80% of his working time doing this.<p style="margin-top:8px; margin-bottom:8px">Zühlke Bern gives David the opportunity to focus on two pet subjects: first and foremost, he is now a backend developer with a focus on server applications, and secondly, he concentrates on testing. Variety is a big plus for David. In his role, he usually changes projects every one to three years. "So each time I get a new environment without having to find a new employer."</p>

Not only is the view in Bern beautiful, but the insight into a wide range of disciplines is also very worthwhile.

The current digitalisation of the application process at a large insurance company shows how complex and interdisciplinary his tasks are at Zühlke Bern. On the Zühlke side, David works with a usability designer and two software engineers, all three of whom focus on the front end. On the client side, nine people are involved. "From Learners to Software Architects, all ages and seniority levels are represented. This is very exciting," explains the lead engineer. "You see into lots of different aspects. At the same time, we have everything under our control and can get the best out of it for the project."

Technologies that give everyone a helping hand

Frontend technologies like Angular, and Spring Boot on the backend, help enormously with the project. In this situation it is important for the team to stay up to date and to carry out migrations regularly so that the project can be easily handed over to others. Other help is provided by the automated deployment in OpenShift. "Thanks to this automation, we can find potential bugs and fix them, then test the fixes and put them live within two hours." This is very well received by clients and gives them the assurance of knowing that the team will react quickly if there is ever a problem.

David is using similar technologies to develop digital opinion-poll tools for a local project in Bern – although on a smaller scale. Together with a team of three, he also relies on agile work processes and close cooperation with clients to ensure that the product can be used easily and efficiently by the customer. "You have to put yourself in their shoes, so you can come up with solutions that will be widely accepted," David explains. This empathy is a particular feature of working life in Bern.

A relaxed culture, even after work

The friendly atmosphere is a characteristic of the Bern office: "The feeling of closeness to our clients, the short distances, the great location of our modern office right next to the train station, the informality... You see each other regularly at coffee breaks, and that's already a big advantage."

David appreciates this relaxed atmosphere in his free time, too: "The fact that I can reach everything by bike is something I really like about Bern – and the river Aare in summer." In his three years in Bern, David has become an enthusiastic Aare swimmer.

"The best of both worlds"

On the one hand, the manageable Bern office covers a very broad spectrum with a wide range of experts. The almost 70 co-workers include not only software engineers, but also usability and security engineers, project managers and embedded engineers. On the other hand, co-workers have access to the whole world through the international Zühlke network. "This gives you fantastic opportunities for information exchange, for learning and for self-realisation." In short, Zühlke Bern offers David "the best of both worlds".

Would you like to be a member of the Zühlke team together with David? Check out our current vacancies.

Picture credits: © Copyright Bern Welcome