About me

Who am I? · 👨‍💻 🌈 Link to heading

Hi, my name is Jakub Błaszczyk (he/him), and I am currently based in Warsaw, Poland.

What I do? · ☕ 👨‍💻 Link to heading

What I do professionally goes by many names, from “person who writes code,” IT person, hacker, Programmer, Scala Developer to Software Engineer, or even more specific, Scala Engineer. The word Engineer for some may imply that I hold an engineering degree, however, as of now, I currently hold a bachelor’s degree.

I like the definition of Engineers as “professionals who invent, design, analyze, build, and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets, and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the limitations imposed by practicality, regulation, safety, and cost.” As a Software Engineer, I invent, design, analyze, build, and test software to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the limitations imposed by practicality, regulation, safety, and cost.

In my professional life I enjoy working with Scala more than any other language. Scala supports functional programming and object-oriented programming, is strongly statically typed, and works with Java libraries.

What would I like to do? · 🔮 📝 🌴 Link to heading

When it comes to software development, I enjoy working with Scala and Functional Programming concepts. In my past positions I worked with JavaScript, Python, SQL, Azure, CSS, HTML, Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle DB, SQLite, Linux RHEL, Debian, and occasionally with Windows Servers. As for tooling, I enjoy writing code in IntelliJ IDEA. Wherever I work in the future, I want to work with Scala and Functional Programming. Anything cloud-related, such as Azure, GCP, or AWS, would be a big plus. Apart from tech stack related stuff, I like organizing trainings, mentoring junior developers, surprisingly writing documentation, on-boarding manuals or architectural decision records to name just a few. Learning something new and improving myself is important to me, that’s why I like to attend conferences, take trainings, and study for certification exams. I like taking certification exams because when I prepare for them, I know I am gaining broad knowledge, and when faced with an issue or a bug, I know where to look for a solution. In the past, I have been gaining experience in Azure and have earned Microsoft Azure Solution Architect Expert Certification as well as Microsoft Azure Data Engineer Associate Certification.

What is equally important to me, is the people I will be working with. Diverse and inclusive team, ok to fail attitude, supporting each other, and honesty are paramount in a workplace. I rather work with Excel and VBA in a supportive team, then with Scala in a hostile team.

How did I get where I am now? · ⚡ 🚀 🚊 Link to heading

I started my software-related career as a full stack developer in the real estate industry. From the beginning I enjoyed being all over the place, such as working in backend, frontend, setting up servers or doing database work, and so on. I enjoyed working with data and started to explore Data Governance and Data Management concepts. Because I worked for a great company (JLL) and always had supporting managers, I was able to join the Data Governance and Management Team in JLL. Getting to know concepts such as Data Quality, building software to support business users and analysts in their journey to reliable data, was an important lesson for me. I learned the importance of stakeholder management, working with business users, getting a taste of project management, or understanding the importance of business analyst work, to name a few.

After working for seven years in JLL, where I went from a Retail Agency Department Assistant to Scala Full Stack Developer, I decided to move to the investment banking industry. I worked in Credit Suisse as a Developer in the Data Governance and Management team and later in UBS as a Scala Engineer where, as a team, we built Next Generation Archiving solution.

What am I most proud of? · 🦚 🌌 🌈 🚀 Link to heading

In my professional life I am proud and thankful for:

  • ✅ I got to understand functional programming concepts, without which, I cannot imagine writing code now. All thanks to “Functional Programming, Simplified: (Scala edition)” by Alvin Alexander and “Rock The JVM” courses by Daniel Ciocîrlan.

  • ✅ Having the opportunity to work with the best managers that supported me and helped me to achieve my ambitions.

  • ✅ Working in supportive teams, learning the importance of diversity and inclusion and being able to volunteer in employee networks such as JLL Building Pride, Credit Suisse Warsaw LGBT Ally Network, and UBS Wrocław Pride Network.

  • ✅ Earning Microsoft Certification: Azure Solution Architect Expert and Microsoft Certification: Azure Data Engineer Associate

  • ✅ I get to learn something new every day.

Let’s talk! · 🦜 🙈 🙊 🙉 Link to heading

For recruiters: Link to heading

👉 Before you contact me ✍ make sure you read the above information 🚧. You can find there what I do now and where I see myself in the future.

Ready? 🏁 you can message me on LinkedIn.