About

This page is meant to help us work together more effectively by sharing my preferences and work style. Think of it as a friendly “user manual” that can help reduce misunderstandings and make our collaboration smoother. These aren’t rigid rules — they’re simply patterns I’ve found helpful throughout my career.

About Me

  • Location: Originally from Germany, currently based in the UK/EU.
  • Professional Background: Experienced in backend software engineering (ex-Reddit), data science, and data engineering, with a focus on information retrieval (search) and building distributed, data-intensive applications and platforms.
  • What Drives Me: I thrive on interesting challenges and love working with bright, motivated colleagues who share a passion for problem-solving and growth.

What I Value Most

Teamwork is like team sports: Everyone has a specific skill and plays a specific position, and when the moment requires it, we pass each other the ball to win.

Teamwork & Collaboration

  • Everyone has unique strengths and positions. We give each other assists to win as a team.
  • I love working with bright, motivated colleagues.
  • I focus on tasks with teamwork driven by mission and learning, not ego.

Productivity

Productivity needs focus. The following is not a prescription, but a pattern that has worked well for me.

  • Mornings: Focused, using the Pomodoro technique with noise-cancelling headphones. Unless it is urgent, please send a DM and allow me to respond asynchronously.
  • Pre-lunch: I catch up on emails and messages.
  • Around lunchtime: I’m open to socialising and chatting. Connecting with others energises me and sparks new ideas.
  • Afternoons: Great for meetings, asking for my help, or brainstorming ideas.

Decision-Making

  • Decisions should be based on data so they can be justified.
  • If data is lacking, use knowledge and experience as a proxy.
  • Engineering is a collaborative enterprise. I prefer a collaborative approach leading to more informed decisions, making everyone smarter, and buy-in from others.

Meeting Preferences

  • Agenda and intended outcomes are known before the meeting.
  • Meetings should have actionable outcomes with follow-ups.
  • I prefer meetings after lunch to preserve my deep-focus time in the morning.

Communication

Preferred Channels

  • Primarily verbal or direct messages (DMs).

How I Often Communicate

  • DM or verbally in person.
  • I’m formal when needed but always respectful, outcome-focused, and intentional.
  • If you see me asking “why,” it’s because I want to understand the reasoning behind a task.
  • I enjoy discussing ideas and challenges — collaboration doesn’t have to be stuffy.

How I Give Feedback

  • Positive Feedback: Prompt and usually public (or private if we have rapport), but always genuine.
  • Constructive Feedback: Discussed privately, focusing on problem-solving. I often ask, “What do you think we need to do to fix X?” to foster solutions rather than dwelling on mistakes.

How I’d Like to Receive Feedback

  • Genuine, verbal, informal, and timely.
  • I prefer actionable suggestions for growth — whether personal or professional.

As a Lead/Manager

“A team is like a fist; it is only as strong as the individual fingers that hold together.” — Karin S.

  • I’ll shield the team from outside pressure; we tackle challenges together.
  • I prioritize understanding errors in context rather than attributing them to personal traits. I care about what you learn from mistakes.
  • I understand that people have different preferences, personalities, and quirks. If you have a work conflict, I’ll encourage you and the other party to talk it out and negotiate a win-win solution.

What I Find Most Helpful or Challenging

“The easiest way to become a 10x engineer is to help five 1x engineers become 2x engineers.”

Most Helpful

  • Being yourself and sharing positivity.
  • Clear communication with relevant updates (including successes).
  • Meetings with agendas and actionable outcomes.
  • When I need help, show me how to help myself next time.

Most Challenging

  • Gatekeeping or dismissiveness.
  • People who take but don’t give.
  • A perpetual negative focus.
  • Non-technical managers with zero experience.